Crimson Puddles
by somebody101
Summary: What starts as a bad night only gets worse as Nick suddenly finds himself in the middle of a violent conflict. Catherine and the team do their best to help Nick, but little can prepare them for the events that ensue, or the repercussions.
1. A Dangerous Fall

**Crimson Puddles

* * *

**

Her fingers drummed impatiently on the steering wheel as she waited for the light to change. It was another two minutes before the lights all turned red. She sighed as she watched the unlucky blue pick up stop, and the driver tried to force himself to relax. She could tell it wasn't easy. _At least I got stuck behind three other cars…_ The light turned green, and she waited for a few seconds to give the other cars ahead of her some space.

Finally, it was her turn. She gently stepped on the gas, and looked at the driver of the truck curiously as he seemed to grow anxious… She shook her head, and focused on the back of the car in front of her. _There you go again… overanalyzing everyone you see…_ Her thoughts were cut short when she heard the distinct sound of someone flooring it. In a split second her eyes flew back to the pickup that was only a few feet from her car now…

She didn't have time to brace against the impact as her SUV was propelled through the intersection, and she winced as a smaller green car rammed her head on. _God, this is going to be bad…_ She was once more jolted by the final impact as her SUV plowed into another smaller vehicle that had been stopped at the light to her left. In the distance she could hear glass break, and people yelling. Car horns were blaring widely, and she saw the form of the man who had rammed her jump out of his truck and run off down the street. She felt a shower of glass spray over her shoulder, and winced as someone began to grab at her arms.

"Can you move? Are you ok?"

She stared blankly at a man wearing a nice suit was trying to talk to her. After several moments the words started to register, and she shook her head to clear the lingering dizziness.

"Yeah… I think I'm fine…"

"Can you move? You'd be safer if we could clear you from the vehicle…"

"I think so… my shoulder hurts, but I think I'm fine."

"Ok… take my hand, and we'll get you out of there…"

She quickly took the offered hand, and let herself be pulled through the window. Once out she found herself sitting awkwardly on the hood of a white car. She could see dozens of people staring angrily at the scene that was now in their way of getting somewhere on time. _Well… at least it's not my fault…_

It wasn't even ten minutes later when she saw the familiar red and blue lights flashing. As the first officer came up to her she quickly tucked her hair behind her ears and out of her face. She sighed as she noticed the paramedics make their way towards the scene. That guy had already checked everyone. _Thank God, no one was hurt… that freaking maniac could've killed someone…_

"Hey, excuse me… hey, watch it, CSI… excuse me…"

Catherine's head whipped around when she heard the familiar Texan accent coming closer. Her eyes hastily searched through the crowd, but she couldn't see him anywhere.

"So… looks like you're going to be needing a lift for a while…"

She jumped as the voice came from behind her.

"Hey, Nick. I thought you knew better than to sneak up on people…" She smiled as she turned to face him, but her smile vanished when she saw the sudden look of guilt and pain take over his once smiling face.

"I-I'm so… I'm _sorry_ Catherine… I… uh… I should've known better…"

"No, Nick… I shouldn't have said anything. I guess my sarcasm isn't as clear as it could be…"

The following silence was deafening, and Catherine couldn't help but notice that Nick's hands were shaking. She looked towards him, but realized that he had suddenly become fascinated with the ground.

"Hey, I thought you had the night off?"

"Oh… well, I heard that you got in a wreck over the scanner…"

"Please tell me you weren't just sitting around waiting for something to happen."

"Huh? Oh… no… it was just on. I was… uh… reading."

"Hmm… so what bird has caught your fancy now?"

Nick laughed, and gave Catherine a smile. She arched her brows. Regardless of the jokes, and comments, she was truly impressed at how enthralled he was by birds. Something about it made him so different from anyone she had ever known.

"Oh… uh, just some parrot found in South America…"

"Well, I'm not sure when the knowledge of that bird may come in handy, but you never know. Tell me, do you _ever_ go bird watching?"

Nick didn't bother to hold in another chuckle. "Nah… guess I never found the time… but, uh… well how are _you_? You're not hurt or anything, _are you_?" He was glad that he could hear the concern in his voice, and he knew Catherine caught alot more about people than anyone else he knew. _At least she knows how concerned I am..._

"No, I'm ok. I was just on my way over to some old house. I'm running solo tonight, so it could take a while."

"Well, since you need a ride anyway, maybe I can help you out a bit."

"Oh, so you weren't really listening to your scanner? Or do you just keep your kit by your door?"

"Actually I do keep my kit by my door. Of course I didn't grab it…"

"Oh, then how do you expect to help?"

"I've got a spare kit in the backseat. Not to mention plenty of other supplies stored away…"

"Well, I guess that's settled… I just have to give that officer over there my statement and contact information…"

"Well, I'll be waiting for you."

* * *

Half an hour later they found themselves walking up to the dimly lit house. It was eerily silent and the officers standing watch seemed rather pleased that someone had finally arrived. 

"What took you so freaking long?"

"Hey, hey, hey… just give her a break. Some guy rammed her SUV and took off running."

Catherine smiled as the officer immediately went silent, and looked at her regretfully.

"Oh… uh, well sorry to hear that ma'am."

"That's quite alright, my partner here is just having a hard day…"

Nick chuckled a bit more as they entered the dark house. He noticed instantly that all the lights were on, and that everything was still nearly pitch-black. _How could anyone live in this place?_

"Is it just me, Nick, or this place a bit…"

"Dark? Yeah… it's kind of creepy…"

"Well, you want down that hall, while I tackle these rooms here?"

"Great. I'll let you know when I've solved the case."

"Well, then you'd better get busy; I'm not a pushover. And, if you don't get down that hallway I'll be waiting for you at the finish line."

"Yeah, whatever, Catherine." He smiled as he began to walk down the hall searching for any clues to help them discover what had happened here.

Catherine shook her head and laughed as Nick began to process. After a few moments she headed into the large dining room, and immediately saw some dark puddles on the wood paneling. She pulled out her ALS, and in moments she had the confirmation; it was blood. She slowly followed the drops as they led into the kitchen, and stopped at a wall. _Why the hell would someone who is bleeding walk over to a wall that's got nothing on it?_

"Hey. You find something?"

"Yeah, Nick… a trail."

"Of what?"

"Crimson puddles…"

"That's a new one. I've sure never heard it applied to blood, or anything else,before…"

"Ah… well, Lindsey was reading some lines from her school play…"

"I guess that explains why I got my day 'off' early…"

"Well, I don't exactly get to see them too often… besides I missed opening night so that you could get some rest."

"Well, I guess we're both fools then… Now is it just me, or is it weird that the blood ends at this wall?"

"No, Nicky, it's not just you. In fact I was just trying to figure it out before you interrupted me."

"Well… it is an old house… maybe there's something _in_ the wall… these dark panels would hide any cracks…"

Catherine watched intently as Nick began to feel around for something that would give way in the wall. Suddenly his hands stopped over what felt like a small bump. Unsure of what it might do he carefully positioned himself with his feet spread, and he slowly pushed the small knob in.

Catherine's mouth opened in horror as she saw the floor beneath Nick's right foot disappear, and in moments he fell completely out of her sight. _Oh God… Please be ok… please…_

She quickly moved closer, but the floor panels were suddenly back up. Her fingers felt over the same knob, and she tried desperately to push it. After a few moments she realized it wasn't going to budge.

"Hey! I need some help here! And call the paramedics!" Her heart raced, and she silently prayed that the paramedics wouldn't be necessary as she began to stomp on the floor panels, and searched desperately for another way to open the trap door…

"What happened?"

"There was some kind of button, it opened a hole in the floor, and Nick fell in... Then it closed back up..."

"Stand back..."

Catherine forced herself to take a step back. The officer felt along the wall, and he too found the button impossible to push. Then she heard it. They both stopped for a moment as they heard someone screaming from below the floor paneling.

"Oh God... Nicky, I'm so sorry..."She whispered as the officer began to kick on the area of the floor that she had indicated was where he'd fallen through. The cries were growing more frantic, and they could hear Nick's voice distantly screaming. _Hold on Nick... please... just hold on..._

"Here!" another officer called out as he passed their miniature battering ram to the stronger officer.

"Here goes nothing..." He shouted as he forced it into the floorboards, and they all hurried forward as the panel gave way, and Nick's screaming now battered their ears directly.

Without hesitating Catherine had pushed past the other officers and down into the pure darkness that suddenly engulfed her. She felt something begin to crawl along her leg, and in an instant she had her flashlight out.

The tiny room was suddenly illuminated, and she could see the floor littered with all sorts of bugs. Nick was standing nearby; he was clawing frantically at the bugs that were climbing all over him. Without hesitating she rushed over to help him, and carefully swiped the bugs back onto the ground.

"Oh God... Hey you guys up there! Is there a small bag up there that contains any syringes?"

"Uh... yeah, why?"

"Throw them down to me now!" Her feet instinctively continued to crush the bugs that were making their way towards Nick, and she quickly brushed the ones one him away. "It's ok Nick... It's going to be ok."

"Here you go! We're getting some rope for you guys!"

"Come on Nick... we're going to get you out of here..." She spoke gently, but firmly as she held a syringe ready.

She grabbed Nick's trembling hand, and wrapped the rope around his waist. Her eyes quickly surveyed the rest of the room before the rope was let back down, and she barely had time to register the body that was covered by various insects lying in the corner. She heard Nick scream loudly again, and without another moments hesitation she furiously climbed the rope, and in seconds she was back in the dining room where the officers merely watched Nick shaking violently. Lying next to him on the floor was yet another dead bug. _This could be one hell of a long night..._

"Come on, Nick... we're going to get you out of here ok?"

She gently took hold of Nick's shoulders and held him close. He was trembling less, and tears were streaming down his face as she led him outside.

"I-I'm so sorry... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have flipped out... I should've stayed calm..."

"It's ok Nick. There's nothing to apologize for... I'm going to call Grissom and have him take over. Then we'll get you home, and I can get this all straightened out ok?"

"Thanks... thank you so much Catherine..."

She smiled awkwardly as he pulled her into a hug, and let out the rest of his tears.

"My door is always open Nick... you can _always _come to me... with anything ok?"

He weakly nodded his head, and sighed. After a few moments he wiped his eyes, and offered Catherine a smile.

"Thanks, Catherine...it's not everyday someone saves your life... I owe you big time."

"I'd be careful making promises Nick, people tend to cash in on favors _real quick_."

"I think I'll take my chances... "

"You want to talk about it?"

"I-I can't... not now, but we will... soon..."

"Whenever you're ready, Nick. No one is going to push you." She smiled again, and gave him another long hug before pulling out her phone and dialing Grissom's number.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick goes to pick up Lindsey as a favor, but finds that the favor turns into something even more. Grissom takes over the scene with the rest of the team, and Catherine talks to Ecklie about the situation

* * *

Notes: This chapter was shorter than it was supposed to be, but I think it turned out pretty well. The story will mainly focus on Nick and Catherine, but the real plot isn't really in play yet. Please take the time to review; I always enjoy reading your thoughts, comments, and even constructive criticism is good! 


	2. A Painful Rescue

**Crimson Puddles**

Summary: Nick agrees to do Catherine a favor, but he is given one of the biggest surprises of his life. Meanwhile, the team works their various cases, and Catherine talks to Ecklie about what happened at the scene.

* * *

His eyes slowly scanned every inch of the passenger seat. He was still breathing rapidly, but knew he had calmed down a lot since he had fallen into that hellhole. _At least that ought to solve the case…_ His thoughts were interrupted as he saw Grissom literally jump out of his SUV just as it pulled to a stop.

"Where… where is he? Is he ok?" He couldn't calm down. It had been so long since Nick had been kidnapped, but he knew that the side effects of falling into some bug-infested pit could have tragic repercussions.

"Gil… everything is fine… it's ok. He's over in his car… I'm going to take him home, and stay with him for a little while, to make sure he's ok. Then I'll get back to the lab and update Ecklie…"

"What in the hell happened Catherine?" He couldn't hide the worried tone that his voice had taken, and he could tell that it unnerved Catherine quite a bit.

"Ok… it may sound weird, but Nick found some button on the wall, and it opened a trap door in the floor. He fell in, and landed in some dark pit practically filled with bugs… he was screaming, but before I could get in too the trap door closed, so we had to get it to bust open before I could jump in, and help get him out…"

"Damn… this is the last thing he needed…"

"No kidding… look, uh… I'm going to go get him home… I'm not sure if he's quite ready to see all of you guys yet, or to retell what happened."

"Yeah… sure, go ahead. I'll see you back at the lab…"

"Hey, Nick… how are you doing?"

"I'll be ok…"

"Why don't I take you home? You could use a bit of a break…"

"No… uh… I… need to get my stuff from the lab anyway… and my car is there…"

"Ok, Nick… if you're up to it, we can go back to the lab…"

"Yeah… besides… the others are probably worried…"

* * *

Several minutes later she found herself slowly pulling to a stop outside the lab. Her eyes wandered over to Nick, who had remained silent during the drive. _I can't even imagine how he can deal with all of this…_

"Catherine… I'm… I'm so sick of being scared…"

"We all are Nick… we all are…"

She slowly unbuckled her seatbelt, before leaning over and giving her friend a quick hug. He flashed one of his smiles, and she immediately felt relieved. Suddenly she froze. _Oh damn…_

"Catherine, what's wrong?" Nick asked quickly, sensing the sudden change in her demeanor. _Please let everything be all right…_

"I… I forgot about picking Lindsey up… oh God… she's been waiting for twenty minutes _already_…"

"Hey, don't worry about it Catherine. You just go take care of whatever you need to, and… and I'll go pick her up for you, ok?"

"I… I guess that'd be fine… actually, that'd be _great_ Nick. Oh, I can't thank you enough…"

"It's no problem… _really_."

He felt himself suddenly becoming engulfed by another hug, and smiled as he patted her back. She slowly let go, and smiled again before turning around, and climbing out of the car.

"Ok, Nick… she has a key to our house, but I know you've already got a spare, so it doesn't much matter. Anyway, please put her to bed as soon as you get there, or else she'll be up all night…"

"I got it, Catherine, just go, everything will be alright, I promise."

"Yeah, you do know where…"

"Butterfield Academy, I remember. I know _exactly_ where it is, and how I'm gonna get there, so go ahead. You've got places to go and people to see."

"Ok… thanks again Nick…"

"No problem, but you really cashed in on that _favor_ quick didn't you?"

"I guess so, Nick. Well, she's been waiting long enough, so I'll let you get going…"

"Bye Catherine." He quickly hopped over the console and into the driver's seat, and as soon as Catherine had turned around he was already backing up.

* * *

She was waiting silently, but after another five minutes she suddenly found it hard to be patient. _Where are you mom? Go figure… she probably got wrapped up in some case and forgot all about me…_ Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her.

* * *

He wasn't sure why, but he sped up as he realized how long it was taking him to get there. He remembered how bad he had always felt when his parents had been late picking him up. And, if Lindsey was anything like her mother, he knew she wasn't going to be very happy. He turned another corner, and smiled when he saw Lindsey pacing silently next to some hedge. His smile disappeared when he saw what happened next.

Her legs flailed desperately as she struggled against her assailant. _Let me go… please… I don't want to end up as another of my mom's cases…_

Suddenly she found herself blinking as a pair of headlights came to rest on her and her attacker. A car door opened wide, and she distantly heard a familiar voice yelling.

"Let her go, now!" Nick yelled at the top of his lungs as he struggled to keep his arm steady to keep the gun from shaking.

"I suggest you leave now, before you get hurt, asshole."

"I said _let go of her_!" Nick shouted again, and he slowly took a few steps closer towards the man who was still fighting to control Lindsey.

Her arms wriggled in the firm grasp. She was trying desperately to see who it was that was yelling at them, and hoped it was who she thought it was. _Please… don't let him hurt me…_

"What's it to you what I do with her?" The man holding her asked in a sinister tone, "Or do you just want her for _yourself_?"

"Let her go _now_. Or you're going to be in a world of pain." Nick commanded, and he allowed all his fury and rage to seep into his voice. _Keep it together Nick… you can help her… you can save her…_

"I don't know who you are, _Cowboy_, but if you don't get out of here in the next ten seconds you're going to find yourself in the middle of something way bigger than your pathetic mind can even comprehend." He smiled as he saw the other man suddenly give up. His grip lessened slightly around the girl as he saw the guy begin to turn around. A quick glance towards the street at his waiting van gave him the go ahead.

He didn't have time to react as he felt the Texan's body fly into both him and the girl. His eyes searched frantically for any sign of where they had gone when he saw the man helping Lindsey into his Denali. His fingers fumbled with a thick leather strap and he slowly felt the heavy handle of his pistol slide free.

* * *

Lindsey screamed in surprise as she saw the dark body flying towards them. She lets out a sharp yelp of pain as she hit the ground, and fought frantically at the muscular hands that were pulling her towards the headlights. He quickly pushed her into the car, and then she finally began to calm down. _I've seen this car before…_ Her memories were verified as she noticed a picture of her mom and her team smiling happily at the camera. She turned around to see who it was that had saved her, and smiled weakly when she saw Nick's arms reaching in to help her climb into the passenger seat.

* * *

He cried out in pain as he felt his left leg give out from under him. He looked down as the pain began to grow more intense, and his vision blurred slightly as he saw the blood flowing rapidly from a hole in his pants. _What the hell? I never heard a gunshot… what happened?_ He suddenly realized the man who had tried to grab Lindsey before was quickly climbing to his feet, and was holding a pistol with an unusually long barrel in his hand. They had to get out of there, and Nick quickly bit down on his lip, and forced himself up into his Denali. Seconds later he had the car in reverse when he felt another sharp burst of pain erupt in his right arm. His right foot stomped harder on the gas, and he quickly glanced over to make sure his friend's kid wasn't hurt.

"Lindsey… I need you to grab the first aid kit in the glove compartment… pull out any sort of bandage…"

She could hear the anguish in his voice and it took her a moment to take her eyes away from the blood that was flowing rapidly down his right arm from beneath the sleeve of his black T-shirt. Her hands fumbled rapidly for what he needed, and she tightened her seatbelt as they took another rapid turn. Without warning she saw two more holes enter the dashboard just between herself and Nick. She suddenly recognized the familiar holes that she had seen in countless photos her mom had brought home. _Why is someone shooting at us, and I thought gunshots were supposed to be loud…_ She clung to the armrests of her seat as Nick swerved in another lane.

"Lindsey… hurry… I need you to wrap the bandage around my arm… just pull up the sleeve… and wrap as much as you can around it, as hard as you can… don't stop. No matter what I say, just keep doing it as hard as you can…"

She nodded feebly as she peeled the sleeve back, and she felt tears running down her eyes as she watched the blood begin to flow faster down his arm. Her fingers weakly began to wrap the white fabric around his arm. After a few times around she began to pulled a little tighter until she noticed that he was clenching his jaw, and his knuckles were turning white as he clenched harder against the steering wheel.

"Is it too tight? I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…"

"No… it just hurts Lindsey… keep going… just a few more times… remember… as hard as you can…"

"O-ok…" she was finding it harder to talk as her eyes followed the trail of tears that were flowing from Nick's eyes. She had always enjoyed spending time with Nick, and when they didn't see each other for long periods of time he would even get her some sort of chemistry kit. _Please… don't let it get worse… don't let it get worse…_ She instinctively grabbed the edge of Nick's seat as he spun the wheel wildly making another sharp turn. Her eyes glanced back just in time to see a black van turn right behind them.

"Ok, Lindsey… I need you to grab some tape… grab it and wrap it around the bandage, just as tight…"

"O-ok… are they going to…"

"They're not going to hurt you… I won't let them… I promise… just… get the tape…" It became to hard for him to speak, and he tried to get a firmer grip on the wheel. The pain in his right arm was beginning to grow numb, but his left leg continued to throb just above his ankle. _Thank God I can still work the gas pedal…_ He noticed Lindsey sink back into her seat with a terrified look on her face; his eyes fell silently down towards his arm, and he gritted his teeth as he noticed she had finished taping the bandage in place.

"Lindsey…"

"Y-y-yeah?"

"You did… a great job…" He winced in pain, and felt himself slide in his seat as another black van rammed into the side of his speeding Denali.

* * *

"Ah… what exactly did you want to see me about Catherine?"

"Look, Ecklie… I know the lab is shorthanded as it is…"

"You're not going to seriously ask for a last minute vacation are you Catherine?"

"No… uh, I was actually hoping you'd offer Nick some paid time off…"

"Why would I do that?"

"Well… I haven't gotten the… uh… the chance to file an accident report…"

"Oh God… don't tell me he got hurt…"

"No… no, he's fine, but I just think he should be given the opportunity to get some time off, while not being forced to do so…"

"What in the hell happened?"

"He… we found a button hidden in a wall, and it opened a trap door right under him. Then he fell into an underground room filled with insects. By the time the officers on the scene and I were able to reopen the door and I could get down to him, he was more than just a bit shaken up. Don't get me wrong… I'm sure he's fine. I… I just thought it might be good for him to get some time off…"

"Ok, Catherine… I'll extend him the offer, and since this suggestion came from you, and not a certified psychiatrist, I'll let him know it's completely optional."

"Ok… thanks… uh…"

"Look, Catherine, despite what you, and everyone else in this lab, thinks about me being a heartless jackass isn't true. I care about all our employees' wellbeing."

"O-of course…"

"Just don't let everyone in on our little secret. And make sure you get that accident report filed and squared away."

She flashed him a brief smile, and quickly stood up to leave the room. _I don't know what the hell happened to him, but whatever the reason I'll take it._ She froze as she saw Warrick standing in her way with Sara and Greg standing just behind him.

"What the hell happened out there, Catherine?" Warrick asked firmly. He was still angry that Grissom had run out without telling them a thing.

* * *

Nick swerved around another corner as the growing number of vehicles tried to close in on him again. He quickly glanced at the rearview mirror that now sported two bullet holes. There were now four identical vans speeding behind him, and he quickly stepped on the gas increasing his lead on them slowly. _Just stay calm… she needs you to be calm…_ He could hear Lindsey's muffled cries of fear as she lay huddled at the foot of her seat. He had quickly told her to move down there as more shots had ripped into the back of his Denali. He had been scared when he saw blood on her forehead, but after a few brief glances he had determined the she must've just hit it on something. _At least it's just superficial… nothing serious… she's going to be fine…_

He swerved again, and swore as he realized they were on a road that led out to Lake Mead. _Out into the freaking desert… I need to get back to the lab._ He had already tried his cell phone, but after the second time he had tried to call Warrick it had gone dead. More rapid bursts of pain shot through his leg, and he could feel more tears fall from his eyes. _Just keep it together… just keep it together…

* * *

_

"Oh God… I need to talk to him… where is he?"

"Look, Warrick… I gave him the rest of the night off, and he offered to go pick up Lindsey for me…"

"And you let him go?"

"Warrick, he is not a child. He's a full grown man, and there was no way I was going to belittle him, and _force_ him to do something he clearly wasn't ready for!"

She stopped in irritation as her cell phone went off. Sara and Greg had immediately taken off to help Grissom, and she gave Warrick a furtive glance before answering.

"Hello. Catherine Willows speaking…"

"H-hello… I uh… this is Miranda Ledger… I'm the…"

"You're the principal at Butterfield Academy… w-what can I do for you?"

"Uh… well, you're a CSI, right?"

"Yeah, is there something you need?" Warrick turned back to face her as he heard her tone change from irritation to concern.

"I'm not sure, but… well… I found some dark red liquid in the parking lot… I… think it's blood."

"Oh God… listen don't touch _anything_. I'll be there in a few minutes with some backup."

She hung up her phone and was about to take off down the hall when she felt Warrick's hand on her shoulder.

"Catherine, what happened?"

"I… I don't know… why don't you call Brass, and tell him to meet us at Butterfield Academy."

"Ok… wait that's where Lindsey…"

"I know… it's probably just a false alarm, Warrick…"

"I hope you're right."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later he could tell they were wrong. There was undoubtedly blood in the parking lots, not to mention several shell casings. _Something bad definitely happened here…_

"Ok, Warrick. I tried my house, Nick's place, Nick's cell phone… and even one of my neighbors who assured me that no one came to my house tonight while I was gone…"

"Well, based on the skid marks… blood came from the driver's side… which would imply that Nick was the one who was bleeding, presumably from a gunshot…"

"How Warrick? It's not like you can fire all these rounds without someone hearing."

"Maybe whoever did this had a silencer…"

"Which means that they'd have to have plenty of resources, and money…"

"Look… Catherine… we don't know whose blood this is… maybe Lindsey asked Nick if they could go see a movie… it is a Friday, maybe he figured it wouldn't be a big deal if he didn't take her right home…"

"I hope you're right… God, I hope you're right Warrick…"

"So do I… I'll get this blood back to the lab, and call me if you guys get anywhere following those skid marks, or on the surveillance cameras at any intersections…"

* * *

Nick's heart sunk as he saw two more vehicles blocking the road ahead of him. He could easily tell that he wouldn't be able to get past them, so he decided to try the next best thing. Lindsey cried out as he swirled the wheel as fast as he could while hitting the break. Once he was turned around he slammed his foot down on the breaks and sped towards the oncoming vehicles. As he drew closer he flipped his lights off, and tried to keep his hands steady on the wheel.

He realized that he could no longer see the other vehicle that he knew was heading straight for them. "What the hell is this guy thinking?" he mused quietly to the man sitting next to him.

"I don't know, but keep an eye out…"

Nick watched as the headlights of the oncoming vehicles came closer, and just before his vehicle was in the sight of their lights he flipped on his lights.

* * *

The first driver squinted at the sudden bright light that was heading straight for them when the light suddenly turned off again, and he found it impossible to adjust his sight until he noticed that the Denali had slipped right past him. He swore and tried to slam on his breaks before ramming headfirst into the other vehicles that had been following this guy.

* * *

Nick swerved as he felt his side of the car meet with another vehicle, and soon he found that he didn't have any real control over the situation. The other cars had all zipped past him except this one, which had rammed him off the road and spinning helplessly. Suddenly he noticed a sharp drop where the trees ended abruptly. _Oh God… what did I get us into this time?_ He tried to hit the breaks, but the car didn't respond and he watched in horror as he saw the ground rush up towards his window as the car plummeted into the gully.

He felt a shaky hand reach down towards his neck, and a sudden cry when his head jerked up.

"W-what… what were you doing?"

"M-mom… she showed me how to check someone's pulse…"

"Are you ok?"

"I… I think so… my head kind of hurts, and I don't know where we're supposed to get out…"

Nick looked around at their predicament, and grimaced when he realized that there were now surrounded by mud and rocks, and that they were trapped in his vehicle that was now lying on its side. He groaned in pain as he undid his seat belt, and forced himself to stand up on what used to be his window.

"Ok, Lindsey… You're going to climb into the back seat for a moment, while I break this window, ok? Then I'm going to…"

"No! You can't leave me in here… they… they left me…"

Suddenly he realized what she was going through. _You idiot. Be more clear with her. Don't be an asshole and think about what she must've gone through in the car with the water rising…_

"It's ok Lindsey. I should've been more clear. I'm not going anywhere without you, ok? Just cover you hands and your face, and after I break the window I'll lift you up, and get you out of here. Then I'll be right behind you. I promise. There isn't a single soul in this world that'll make me abandon you…"

He watched as she huddled down on the other side of the driver's seat, and he quickly slammed his left hand into the window until he felt it finally break. He quickly covered his eyes and face as the glass fell all over him. He could feel several larger pieces pierce his skin, and he knew from the new pains in his hand that he had some shards stuck in his knuckles.

"Come on Lindsey… I'm going to help you up, ok?"

"O-ok…"

"Listen, Lindsey… if you see _anyone_ outside this car I want you to find a safe place to hide ok?"

"Ok… Nick… I'm scared…"

"Don't be… everything is going to be ok… I promise… nothing is going to happen to you."

She slowly nodded, and he helped her back into the front of the vehicle. It took nearly all of his strength to help push out through the window, and he nearly collapsed when she accidentally kicked his right arm just below his sad attempts of a bandage. Once she was out he reached up, and used his right leg to propel himself off any footholds he could find until at he found himself halfway out. It was a tight squeeze, and he felt another sharp pain as he used his left arm to finish pulling himself out. He barely took a quick look down when he saw another piece of glass sticking into his side. _It doesn't matter… you've got to get out of here…_

He took a deep, painful breath before taking Lindsey with his left hand and running as fast as he could off into the dark night.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick and Lindsey try to outrun the men chasing them, meanwhile the team desperately tries to put the evidence together in an attempt to help their friends.

* * *

Notes: This story may be a bit slow on updates, seeing as of how I want to finish An Unfair Act of Vengeance. However, once that story is done the updates should come faster. Of course, I have held back on some updates recently with the slow down of reviews, so I hope you take the time and submit one, because it really does get me motivated to keep updating quickly! 


	3. Final Sacrifice

**Crimson Puddles**

Summary: Nick does his best to save Lindsey, but finds it harder as his pain grows consistently worse. The team finds his wrecked vehicle, and they begin to process in hope of finding the two before it's too late…

* * *

They had been 'running' nonstop ever since they had managed to climb out of his wrecked Denali. He could feel the blood pooling in his left shoe, and the pain grew worse with each step. His eyes watered, but he forced the tears back. _I have to be strong for her… I'm not going to let them hurt her…_ He slowly forced himself to pick up the pace as they made their way back towards civilization. His hand slightly tightened around Lindsey's as he tried to be strong.

* * *

Catherine paced while she waited apprehensively while Archie retrieved the security tapes. She sighed as he entered the A/V Lab, and she immediately pulled up a chair to watch.

"Ok, we'll start at this intersection here." He said as he pointed to the screen solemnly. The image of an empty intersection greeted them, and he almost sped the tape up until Catherine put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Zoom in on the top corner there!" Her voice was nervous as she prayed that she had been mistaken by what she saw. A moment later he had enlarged the image, and they could clearly see a man's feet standing next to a pair of feet that were wearing soft blue shoes.

"That's Lindsey… and I think the other person is Nick… at least those shoes look a bit familiar…" She froze as the tape continued and they saw the left leg give way as blood sprayed out from an obvious bullet wound. Suddenly the legs disappeared.

"Hurry, zoom back out!" she yelled in frustration, as Archie furiously typed in the commands that brought them back to the full screen just in time to catch a brief glimpse of Lindsey sitting in the passenger seat next to Nick. "Freeze it! Now zoom in on the right arm of the driver…" she stopped speaking when she realized that it was covered in blood, and there was no mistaking the bullet holes in the front of the car and the windshield.

"Should I call Grissom and the others?"

"Huh? Oh… I'll take care of it… you just keep following Nick's Denali, and try to find out who exactly is chasing them…"

* * *

"Ok… Lindsey… I need… I need you to wrap the rest of that roll around leg? Just lift the pant leg up until you can get to it…"

"O-ok…" She whimpered quietly as she looked around carefully for anyone who might be following them.

"Remember… as tight as you can… there's no room for remorse…"

Tears swelled up in his eyes as she wrapped the bandaging tightly around his leg. He closed his eyes tight and shook his head as everything slowly turned gray. _Get over it… you've got to get her out of here…_

Once she had used the rest of the bandages she taped it tightly, and decided that she had no idea of what to do. _I want mom… why isn't she here? _Her eyes studied her mother's friend as he tried not to breakdown. She had heard everything that had happened to him on the news, and though she never said anything she knew many of the other details as her mom cried out during one of her nightmares. She quickly looked away; something about the deep anguish and fear in his eyes was more than unsettling.

Nick wasn't sure if he could face her. She was practically the spitting image of Catherine, and he felt utterly useless as he slowly began to pull the large piece of glass from his side. He sluggishly grabbed several of the large Band-Aids from the kit that Lindsey had been smart enough to grab, and placed it over the sudden rush of blood. His teeth immediately bit down hard on his lip as he stopped himself from swearing viscously. With that done he turned his attention to his palm, and agonizingly plucked the glass out of his hand. More pain coursed through his body and he instinctively pulled his left leg up to his chest and hugged it. _It'll go away… just breathe… you've got to get moving, or they'll find her…_ He sighed slowly, and forced himself not to take many deep breaths.

"You're gonna be ok, Nick… mom… she'll find us… she's never let me down…"

Nick looked up at the stars, and found tried to hide his tears from Lindsey. _It's too late for me… I'll never make it, but by God… I'm not going to let them hurt her. I swear… if it's the last thing I do… I'll make sure she gets out of this safely…_ He wiped his eyes hastily with his left arm, and quickly grabbed Lindsey's hand as he led the way through the maze of rocks and trees. Everytime he put weight on his left leg everything would begin to turn gray as the pain increased steadily. _I don't have a choice… she's going to make it through this!_ Suddenly he felt a new pain encompass him as his injured leg snagged on the root of a tree right where he had been shot.

He slowly used his left arm to roll himself over, and gently felt along his ankle. More pain echoed coursed through him rapidly, and the knowledge that he had sprained it hit him hard. _Come on, Nick… you can still help her…_ His thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone yell in the distance. _God… they're getting closer… we've got to get moving…_ He forced himself to stand, and he waved for Lindsey to follow him once more. Running was their only real chance, and he knew it. Slowly he felt his shaking fingers wrap around Lindsey's shoulders.

"Lindsey, we've got to run, as fast as we can ok? Just run, and if you get ahead of me don't stop. Don't turn around… whatever you do, just keep going. Don't turn around from me, ok?"

"But… Nick… what if they find you… what if they find us?" Nick quickly registered the fear in her voice and eyes as she watched the tears run down his face.

"It… it doesn't matter if they find me. They won't get you if you keep running, so don't stop… we're not far from the nearest homes… you can make it…"

"But, I'm so scared… what if…"

"Listen to me, Lindsey… you're going to be ok. You're going to be fine, just _don't_ wait for me ok? Promise me, that no matter what, you won't stop… you _won't_ turn around… I _need_ you to _promise_…"

"I… I promise, but I'm scared…" She whispered frantically as more tears fell down her face.

"I know… but everything is going to be _fine_… I promise you. If you just _keep_ _running_ it'll be ok… Now go, I'll be right behind you…"

"You have to come, Nick… I can't do it alone…"

"I'll try… but remember, _you have to keep on running_…" He said more forcefully.

She slowly began to run off through the maze of trees, and gathering what little remained of his strength he forced himself to try to keep up.

* * *

"Hey! Over here, I found his car!" Brass yelled anxiously as he watched Grissom running full out just behind Warrick and Sara. He shook his head as Catherine easily outran them all. _I guess physical strength can't even beat a mother's resolve…_

She didn't wait to even catch her breath as she pulled on a pair of gloves, and peered through the windshield. There were several bullet holes in the glass, and various cracks that made it look as if though a spider had made a thick web on it. She shook her head. _I need to stay focused…_ In seconds she registered that someone had climbed up on the side of the upturned Denali through the passenger window. She frowned as she saw the large pool of blood on the ground where the driver's side window should have been. Warrick eyed her cautiously, but no one was going to tell her to back off. _They're too afraid to tell me that I'm 'emotionally' attached… hell, Nick's been shot at least once… they're all emotionally attached…_ Her feet slowly pushed herself into the back seat, she quickly put her hand over her mouth as she saw the larger pool of blood near the pedals. Her eyes watched sadly as the blood slowly ran down along the fabric towards the door.

"God… the back of his car is covered with bullet holes…" Warrick observed loudly as he looked around for more evidence.

"Well, based on the skid marks back on the road, there were at least five other cars involved…" Grissom replied dryly as he looked down from the top of the gully. He watched as Catherine slowly pulled herself out of the passenger window. She struggled to finally pull herself fully out, and sighed as she looked at Grissom.

"Lindsey couldn't have pulled herself out, let alone break the window… I found a lot of blood, and the first aid kit is missing."

"Where exactly was the blood?"

"All over the driver's side, floor, seat, and door… then plenty of smears on the passenger seat, but I don't think any of it belongs to Lindsey… I think most of it came from that gunshot we saw Nick take to his leg at the school, and that the blood on the passenger's side came from him when he was climbing out."

"That sounds like a sure bet, Catherine. Mia called on our way here, and the blood in the lot belonged to Nick…"

"Guys… if Nick got shot in the leg… they can't be far away. I mean at most a few miles… Lindsey isn't fit enough to cover more than several miles in the time since Nick's car ended up here. And, there's no way anyone with a bullet in their leg is getting more than a few miles…"

"We don't know that, Sara. You're not taking into account a person's will to survive, or, rather, a person's resolve to help someone else."

"So, you're saying what, Grissom? That Nick could've made it all the way back to the city limits. There's no way…"

"Like I said, Sara. Don't be too quick to assume that something is beyond a person just because they've been physically injured. All I'm saying is that while he probably wouldn't make it for himself; he could've made it for someone else."

"So, basically, because Lindsey was with him, he felt responsible for keeping her safe, and under the circumstances I think he's either already pushed himself beyond his max, or is going to. After all, he did drive all this way with at least one bullet in him." Grissom let out a sigh as his own words registered. _He doesn't care enough about himself. I guess that isn't surprising, he's always been selfless… Of course he would keep going to save Lindsey… Hell, if he had been shot in both legs, he still would've gotten her out of there…_

"Make that two bullets, Gil…" Catherine offered sadly as she climbed out of the gully towards them. "Based on the video Archie showed me, and the blood we found all over his right arm… it matches with a bullet hole in the windshield perfectly…"

"Ok… so the situation is even worse. Well, if someone really wanted Lindsey, or Nick, then they could still be out here somewhere."

"Well, if there's any chance, I'll call in air support, and see if we can round up any more officers…" Brass replied, and without hesitating he had his phone out and slowly moved away from the dismal scene.

"Hey! I think I found something!" Catherine yelled wildly as her flashlight held steadily over a bloody footprint.

"It's Nick's size shoe… And… there's more blood down there…"

"He left us a trail…" Catherine whispered. She slowly thought back to the crime scene before. _A trail of crimson puddles…_ she thought bitterly, but there was no waiting now. She quickly pulled her gun from its holster, and led the way with Warrick and the others in tow.

"Hey, Sofia! You stick around here, and keep an eye out on Greg and Sara while they finish processing, I'm going with Catherine, Warrick, and Grissom, to see if their blood trail leads us anywhere!"

"Sure thing! Call if you find anything!" She yelled at their retreating backs.

* * *

"What do you mean you can't find her?" He screamed furiously into the phone.

"I-I'm sorry, boss, but this guy showed up… he managed to get her into his Denali, so we chased them, and he pulled a U-turn, bypassed us, but John ran him off the road. We got the vans out of there, but when we found his car they were gone. We're still following them, and we think we've got a blood trail, but like I said… we can't find them."

"You've got one hour, got that? And I want them both. No one messes with me got it?" He yelled, harshly, and quickly slammed the phone down. A large sneer crept into his face as he looked at the cord that dangled from the phone. He slowly sat back as he thought of why he had kept the phone just so he could slam it on his useless employees. His eyes traveled slowly towards the far wall, and landed on the picture of Sam Braun that covered his dartboard. With the slightest amount of ease he threw a dart, and smiled as he looked at the dart that had ripped through the man's forehead._ It's a shame he wasn't right there… I'm going to enjoy watching him crumble…_ His hands reached for the phone once more.

"Hey, boss, what do you need?"

"I want to know about everything about the man that managed to screw this all up, and I want everything on him on my desk in a half an hour."

"Sure thing, sir. I'll get right on it."

* * *

Everything had turned gray, and his vision was beginning to blur. He grunted, and forced himself to keep going, and every time he felt himself land on his left foot he stumbled. The fact that Lindsey's footsteps were farther away comforted him. _She's going to make it. She can do it…_ He stumbled, and finally felt his lungs give way as he fell forward into the dirt. His leg throbbed, but he knew he had to keep going. _I'm not going to give up… I can't give up… or maybe I have to…_

Suddenly he forced himself back up, and he hurriedly checked to see if Lindsey had left any footprints. _Thank God she doesn't weigh that much… they're never going to be bale to follow her…_ He took a few deep breaths before turning in a new direction and he quickly undid the bandage around his leg. _I've got to get them away from her…_ He once more took off running through the woods. He no longer cared about what direction he went; all he knew was that he had to lead them away from her.

* * *

"Sir, I've got all the files you asked for…"

"So, give me an overview of this guy. Name, everything…"

"His name is Nick Stokes… he works with Miss Willows, so that explains why he was there to pick Lindsey up… since we took out her mother's mode of transport."

"I figured as much, so why don't we get into his history… and you may as well start from the beginning…"

"Ok, well, he was born in Texas… his father is a Judge on the Supreme Court down there, and his mother is a Public Defender… otherwise he's got a bother, five sisters… and, he moved to Vegas after being a CSI in Texas for a while. He got promoted to level two, then level three CSI… he then had a little mishap after being left alone at a crime scene…"

"What happened?"

"They arrested some guy for killing his girlfriend, but it turned out his wife did it… she held a gun to his head, but the guy's supervisor came back, and got the gun from her. Looks like a pretty clean track record, and I can't really find much dirt except a few accidental leaks on various cases… It says here that a Nigel Crane stalked him. He apparently threw Nick out a second story window, and later lived in his attic until someone found him. The guy that found him was killed, and then after the ceiling gave way he pointed his gun at Mr. Stokes before turning it on himself. Then Stokes prevented him from committing suicide, and the guy went to prison. After that… not a whole lot, but a few minor incidents, and some bad luck… here's a file that says he was a suspect in the murder of some hooker. Miss Willows proved him innocent…"

"Anything else?"

"Well, then there's the real bummer in this guy's life."

"And, that would be what?" He asked in irritation at the way his employee was trying to build suspense.

"He was abducted from a crime scene, and then buried alive for over twelve hours."

"Damn, that is bad… but it explains why Sam Braun gave his daughter a million dollars…"

"And, his entire team was able to watch him over a webcam. After he shot out some light or something, he also ruined the structural stability of his Plexiglas coffin, and he ended up letting in a bunch of fire ants which bit him so much that he nearly went into anaphylactic shock."

* * *

He felt himself fall slowly towards the ground as he finally gave in. His entire body was drenched in his own sweat and blood. He tried desperately to breathe, but it was growing harder to get enough air. Somehow Nick managed to lift his head, and sighed when he saw the blood still flowing quickly from his leg. _It's almost over… you're going to bleed out at any moment…you just… have to wait until they find you… then you can mislead them… give her a better chance to escape…_ Tears flooded his eyes, and he looked up at the stars. _Please… please let them know that I did my best… please let Lindsey be safe; I can't let them down again…

* * *

_

She ran hard, and couldn't fight the panic now that she could no longer hear Nick's painful gasps for breath behind her. _I promised I'd keep going… you can't turn back. You've got to get to the lab, and tell her what happened… Mom can make this all better… she can go back and find him too, and help him…_ Her legs carried her swiftly through the woods, but she was quickly losing her remaining strength and energy.

* * *

"Ah… so Cowboy, had enough yet?"

"G-go to… hell" Nick muttered through his painful, and desperate, gasps for more air.

"Judging by the paleness of your skin, and the amount of blood you've lost, I'd say it's you who is going to be going to hell." He smiled down at the man who no longer even had the strength to lift his head.

"She's out of your reach… she's safe, and they've already found her… you… _you can't_ _hurt_ _her_…"

"No, but we can hurt _you_, and if they have found her, then you're going to regret getting in our way. So, why don't you just tell us where she went, and save us some time, huh Cowboy?"

"Fine…" Nick sighed in defeat, and he let his eyes close, "There's a cabin that's only a few miles away from here… she's going there… it has a phone, and _everything_…" Nick found it impossible to say anything else, and he silently prayed that his lie would mislead them. He never had the chance to find out as he finally lost consciousness.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: This chapter took me a little longer to write, and I wasn't going to write it, except that I'm holding off on An Unfair Act of Vengeance for a little while I think. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the more reviews I get, the faster and harder I work on getting new chapters up (that goes for all my stories)! So, hope you take the time to review this, and I hope you check out my other stories! Thanks to everyone for reviewing my stories so far, I love reading your comments!

* * *

Next Chapter: Lindsey keeps running, while the team continues to frantically search for clues. The men after Lindsey find Nick, but after his strenuous efforts to save Lindsey he can hardly move…

* * *


	4. Ransom

**Crimson Puddles**

Summary: Lindsey finds someone in the middle of the woods, and the situation grows more dangerous as the men after Lindsey find Nick and close in on their target...

* * *

Nick's world slowly faded to black as he felt himself being lifted roughly off the ground, and being dragged by his arms over the hard, cold ground. The tugging at his arm sent more pain coursing through him, and when his left ankle hit a rock his sight was replaced by a blinding white light that he had never seen before, and just as suddenly everything went black. _Please let her be safe… please let her be ok…_ was the last thing he could think about before he finally went unconscious after letting out a final bloodcurdling scream.

* * *

Lindsey fled in panic. Her legs carried her swiftly, but she felt as if though she was in 'Alice in Wonderland' and that the ground was moving against her. She heard someone scream in the distance, and she recognized it. They had found Nick, and they'd find her anytime now. Tears fell widely down her face as she heard pounding footsteps behind her. _Come on Nick… please… you've got to be ok… you've got to help me…_

Then she felt someone grab a hold of her. She tried to scream, as she lashed out at the man who had grabbed her, and she felt the strong hands let go of her arms. At first she tried to run, but there was a restraining arm on her shoulder, and she slowly opened her eyes, afraid to see one of the men clad in black.

She gasped in surprise when she saw the young man looking at her worriedly. He was wearing a camouflage jacket, jeans and an orange vest. _He isn't after me… he's a hunter; maybe he can help me…_

"Are you ok? Do you know where your parents are? What's your name?" Ryan Taylor asked hastily as he tried to calm himself down. In all the years he had gone hunting he had never seen a little girl like her running through the woods, especially alone, and dressed in bright colors.

"I-I'm Lindsey… Willows… I… they're chasing me… they hurt him…"

"Who? Who is chasing you? Who got hurt?"

"These men… I don't know who they are…" She cried and felt a bit reassured by his gentle touch. "They hurt Nick… he came to pick me up, and they… they shot him… Then they chased us out here, and he… he tried to save me…"

"Oh God…" He froze as he heard people approaching. _That's got to be them… I can't just let them hurt her…_ He quickly pushed her down behind a tree stump, and he crouched in the shadows with his rifle ready. He saw the first man in all black and a ski mask approach, soon followed by two others. They were coming closer, when he decided that there were doubtfully any more. He fired rapidly, and watched as the three men fell to the ground. There was no doubt in his mind that they were all dead.

* * *

"Oh my God…" Catherine whispered as they heard Nick's scream echo through the trees and rocks. _Please let them be safe… please…_ They broke out into a breakneck run as they tried to follow the trail of blood while they ran. _How did Nick even make it this far? Let alone with Lindsey…_ Her heart stopped when a few moments later they heard three rapid gunshots.

Brass had his radio in hand immediately and started yelling, "We've got shots fired! We need all available officers in the vicinity to get out here now!"

Catherine had already pulled her gun out. She looked at it, and frowned. _I hate carrying this thing, but if someone hurt Nick or Lindsey… I swear I won't hesitate to use it._ A quick glance over showed that Grissom had also gotten out his own weapon; the sight of him with a gun sent a shiver down her spine. _They're going to be ok… they're going to be ok…_ Warrick shot her a nervous glance, and they kept moving.

* * *

"Ok… come on… Lindsey… they can't hurt you anymore…" He stopped as he heard shouting in the distance, and at first he moved to bring his rifle up, until he registered what they were saying. _'Come on! We've got to split up, that way we can cover more ground! I don't care what it takes, just find them! If anyone finds anything radio it in to me, and I'll send more officers to assist you! Got it, then let's move!'_ He sighed as he realized every cop in Vegas was probably scouring the area for this girl, and the man she had been with.

"Come on, Lindsey… I'm gonna take you to the police, ok?"

"My mom… she's got to be out there…" Lindsey stammered quietly. Her heart was pounding rapidly, and she looked frantically for any sign of her mother. _Where are you? I need you…

* * *

_

"I'm coming Lindsey…" Catherine whispered under her breath, and she ignored the concerned looks from Grissom and Warrick. _At least they know better than to try to stop a pissed off mother… a mother that just needs to know her daughter is ok…_ But she knew that wasn't all she needed to know. She needed to see Nick; to tell him that he was a better friend than she had ever given him credit for. _Who else would've gone this far for Lindsey? I don't think Warrick could've even pulled this off… and I know no one else on the team would've even stood a chance…

* * *

_

Ryan fought the urge to call out as he carefully walked with Lindsey towards the shouts they had heard. _There could be more of them out there… If I yell I'd just give up our position…

* * *

_

Catherine caught sight of movement, and glimpsed a brief flash of soft blue move through some bushes.

"Lindsey!" everyone looked at her as she took off towards a patch of thick bushes, and Grissom watched wide eyed as Lindsey moved out from behind the bushes followed by a man in camouflage still holding a rifle.

"Catherine wait!"

"Mommy!" Lindsey cried out, and she didn't hesitate to run flat out into her Catherine's outstretched arms.

"Oh God… you're safe… you're ok… oh thank God…"

"Drop it now!" Brass yelled harshly at the man standing there. It took Ryan a moment to understand why he was being told to drop his rifle, and then it hit him.

"Ok… ok, ok… look, I'm not one of the guys chasing her… I was just out hunting… and I heard her crying out, so I… I brought her back here… because I heard you guys yelling…" He rapidly tried to explain as he quickly tossed his rifle to the ground. A smile penetrated his scared expression when he saw the little girl wrapped tightly in the arms of some woman that by mere resemblance had to have been her mother. _At least she's safe…

* * *

_

"Ok. Well, get him in there, and have everything ready. Yes, I already told you; tell them we have Lindsey too. That way we hold more of an edge in case they don't find her. It gives us more time to search for her, and it'll make them quit looking… What do you mean they already found her? Then make the ransom fifteen million for just him!" he finished yelling furiously through the phone before slamming it down on the receiver.

* * *

"Lindsey… do you know where Nick is?" Catherine whispered urgently at her daughter who had suddenly gone pale.

"I… I don't know… he was running right behind me… then he made me promise not to turn around… not to stop… even if he wasn't behind me anymore… I was scared. Is he… is he ok?"

"I don't know sweetheart… I don't know…" Catherine whispered as her arms held Lindsey close. Tears were falling steadily down her face as she thought about what type of condition Nick might be in.

"Hey, Catherine…" Grissom waited quietly for her to look up before continuing, "Why don't you take her back to the lab… get her story… you know the 'drill' and be careful. Warrick and I can handle this. I'm sure she would like to be in a warmer place…"

Catherine nodded slowly, and knelt back, her hands holding Lindsey's firmly, yet gently. Then she realized that her daughter was wearing Nick's coat. _Oh God…_ she whispered when she noticed the sleeve was soaked with blood, and without waiting, she pulled off her own coat, and took off Nick's just before replacing it with her own.

"Could you bag this Warrick? I'm going to go get Lindsey back to the lab…"

"Sure thing Catherine… How is she doing?"

"She's scared to death, and there's only one hole in the jacket… He was shot, and it wasn't a through and through…"

"Damn… I… how did he make it this far, Catherine? How… how did he manage to even run on his leg?"

"I don't know Warrick, but we'll find him… I promise. He's going to be ok." Catherine said as she quickly hurried back over to Lindsey, and they headed towards Brass.

"Hey! Thank God she's ok!" Brass yelled as the helicopter rotors spun over head rapidly.

"This our ride?" Catherine yelled, unsure if Lindsey was up for it.

"Yeah, what do you say, Lindsey? You want to go for a ride?"

Lindsey nodded her head slowly, and Catherine carefully helped her up into a seat, before pulling herself in.

"Find him Brass! Do whatever it takes, just find him!"

* * *

Nick slowly opened his eyes as the pain suddenly emanated all over once more. His eyes looked around the distorted room, and he could see blood still flowing from his arm and based on the amount of blood near his leg he could tell that they hadn't replaced his bandages. _Something's wrong._ He suddenly felt a sickening sense of fear and he tried to swing his hand up to his face when he felt his elbow bump against something. Suddenly his vision cleared a bit more and he could see his reflection. _Oh God… no… no… no…_ He started to scream and shake frantically as he realized he was once more surrounded by Plexiglas. _Please… let me out… please… I can't go through that again… not again… I can't do it…

* * *

_

Catherine sat next to Lindsey as she began to calm down.

"Ok… Lindsey… I… I need you to tell me everything that happened…"

"I… I was waiting for you to pick me up, and then… someone grabbed me from behind… I was scared, and then Nick showed up. He yelled at the guy to let me go, but he wouldn't. Then he lunged, and knocked us both to the ground. Then… he… he helped into his car, and while I was climbing into the passenger seat… the guy shot him. He… climbed in, and started the car when they man shot him again in the arm. Nick drove off… but… but they followed us, and then he had me bandage his arm. I did my best, but he was hurting so badly… I could see the… his pain. It scared me. Then he had me get down under the dashboard… Then the next thing I knew his car was on its side, and he put me in the back seat. He broke the passenger window, and then helped me out. After that… we ran… he had me tie up his leg after a while, and then after a while he started to slow down… and he made me promise."

"Promise what, Lindsey?" Catherine asked softly, tears were quickly forming in her eyes as she thought of how much Nick had done for Lindsey, and for her.

"That I wouldn't stop if… if he fell behind…" Lindsey barely managed to spit it out before she started crying into Catherine's shoulder.

"Hey, Catherine… there's something that you'd better see." Ecklie was standing awkwardly in the doorway looking at them. She was shocked to see that his eyes were puffy and red. _Was he crying? If this is that bad… please just don't say he's dead… Nick… he can't be…_

"I'll be right back, Lindsey, ok? Just stay here, and I'll have someone come in to be with you."

"Ok… you've got to find him Mom… he… he rescued me…"

"Yeah, he did… we're going to find him, Lindsey. I promise." She slowly followed Ecklie out into the hall, and she sighed when she saw Doc Robbins heading towards them.

"Hey, Catherine… I heard you just got back…"

"Look, Doc, could you go sit with Lindsey? There's something that Catherine really needs to see."

"Uh, sure… Good luck… and bring him back in one piece!" He called out at them as they took off down the hall. _I'm not sure I could bring myself to do that autopsy…

* * *

_

"What is it?" She asked as he led her inside the A/V Lab. As soon as she saw the monitor she froze. Tears immediately started to fall from her eyes as she watched Nick lying in an unburied glass coffin. Her fingers slowly touched the screen where she cloud clearly see the pain etched in Nick's face. There was blood everywhere as he weakly put his hands up against the top of the glass; tears fell down his face, and on impulse she turned up the speakers. Her other hand slowly covered her mouth as she heard his sobs filled the room.

"Oh… Nick…" her voice was quiet, and her she wavered slightly as her fingers slowly fiddled with her hair, and she couldn't bring herself to withdraw her other hand from beside Nick's face. _You saved her Nicky… You gave up everything for her… I'll never be able to thank you enough for letting me keep my daughter. I'm so proud of you… and I swear… I will find you if it's the last thing I ever do…

* * *

_

He moaned in agony as he felt the cold Plexiglas against his palms once more. His breathing became shallow and rapid as he tried to push the lid open. "No… you've got to let me out… I… can't do this again… not again…"

* * *

Catherine let out a sob, and she slowly shook her head. "_Why… why are they doing this?_" She whispered to the screen when she felt a shaky hand reach out and grab her shoulder. She looked over at Ecklie, and was almost surprised at how horrified he looked. Several tears made their way down his face as he handed her a small piece of paper. She took a quick look back at the screen, and slowly read the letter.

_Catherine Willows,_

_I'm sure that, by now, you're wondering what we'd want with your daughter. After all, that is why this all went down, but your damn friend here got in our way, so we'll take what we can get. This is how it's going to go down; you can go and have a nice little chat with you father._

_I doubt you'll have plenty of resistance, but if you care even the slightest about the man who saved your daughters life then you'll find a way. So, we demand fifteen million dollars, to be delivered by Mr. Braun himself, the drop off instructions will follow shortly. Take a good look at your friend, Miss Willows. Think of what he's already been through, and know that if these demands aren't met then your friend will once more find himself six feet below the ground. We also have our own collection of fire ants. I'd suggest you find a way to get through to your father and fast. Your friend is losing blood quite quickly, and I know you don't want to see him die from suffocation, blood loss, or anaphylactic shock._

_Get the money, get Sam Braun, bring them to me in person, and I'll give you your friend. He's suffered quite a bit already, Miss Willows, and I know you don't want to cause him additional pain. Think it over, but your friend only has so much blood._

The letter dropped from her hands and she fell to her knees as her eyes looked back up at the screen. _I'm not going to let you down Nick. If they want Sam Braun, they're going to get him._

"Ecklie," Catherine started as she lifted herself back up, and wiped her tears away, "Call Gil, I know he'll want to be here for all this. Archie, make sure you're making a recording of this, and do your best to trace any type of transmitting signal."

"W-where are you going?" Ecklie stammered quietly as she moved towards the door.

"I'm going to go have a little chat with Sam Braun." She whispered grimly, and she gave the Nick one last look before she turned and left the room. _There's no way I'm going to let you down Nick, even if I have to drag him down there against his will. I'm not going to let you die. Not like this...

* * *

_

Grissom ran nonstop through the lab. Ecklie's call had scared him beyond belief. There had been no mistaking how weak the Assistant Deputy Director's voice had sounded. _Ecklie had been crying… And, if Ecklie was crying over Nick, a man he practically despised, then it couldn't be good._ He slammed into the A/V Lab followed closely by Warrick. They both froze as they heard Nick's moans and his begging. Then they saw him. Warrick began to seethe in pure fury when he saw the bloodied Nick lying weakly in his glass coffin; his hands were pressed flat against the top of his grave, and his eyes showed just how terrified he was.

"God no…" Greg whispered behind them; causing both Grissom and Warrick to turn and they watched as Greg and Sara stood just inside the doorway. Greg was clutching at his stomach, and slowly allowed himself to fall back against the nearest wall. Sara felt her own anger boiling as she looked at the camera.

"Damn it!" she finally let lose, and sent her fist flying into wall full force. "Why can't anyone just leave him alone! It wasn't enough for them to shoot him twice? They had to go and stick him inside another goddamned coffin!" She was about to slam her fist back into the wall, until Grissom grabbed her arm, and pulled her into a hug.

"It's ok… we'll find him… I promise, Sara. We'll find him." He could feel his own tears falling down his face as he watched Nick slowly dying in the coffin. _With all the blood he's lost he can't more than a few hours left to live…_

"Jesus… how could anyone do this?" He asked aloud, but he didn't expect an answer, they were all in shock, then it hit him. "Wait… where's Catherine?"

* * *

"Well, so he was saying…"

"Sam, come on, you're coming with me." Catherine interrupted the conversation with an irritated look.

"Dear, he's already got a girl…" the fairly young woman sitting in the middle of the booth began.

"Shut the hell up. If I wanted your opinion I would've asked. Sam, we _have_ to talk, now." Catherine couldn't contain the anger in her voice, as she thought of how similar the situation was to the last time she had spoken to him.

"Everyone, this is Catherine, my daughter. What do you need?" He asked, trying not to let too much concern into his voice.

"I need fifteen million dollars, and you're going to give it to me."

That was all it took for him to quickly send the others sitting at the table away, and once they were out of earshot he answered her, "Now when you came to me last year for a million dollars it ended up burned in some damn explosion. Why should I give you fifteen, when you can't even handle one?"

"Because, someone tried to kidnap your granddaughter."

"If they only tried to kidnap her why would you need the fifteen million?"

"Because she got away, and they kidnapped a CSI instead."

"And, why in the hell should I give a damn about a CSI?"

"You want to know why? I'll tell you. He took two bullets when he tried to rescue Lindsey, one to his leg, another to his arm. Then he managed to out-drive five vehicles that were chasing them. Finally, when they forced him off the road, and he crashed he made it over eight miles through the woods with her, while running on a leg that still had a bullet in it. And, finally, he misled the people chasing him, so that _he'd_ get caught, and Lindsey could escape. He _sacrificed_ himself for her, and the _least_ you could do would be to pay his ransom."

He gazed into her eyes, and he could see the fury boiling in them. The way she had spit out the words, making sure he caught every detail made him uncomfortable, but the entire story sounded too wrong. _No one can walk, let alone run for eight miles with a bullet in their leg…_

"Why should I believe your story, Mugs? In all my life, I have _never_ heard of anyone walking anywhere with a bullet in their leg, let alone running."

"Fine. Grab the money, and we'll go over to the Crime Lab. Then you can see the evidence firsthand. Maybe that'll make you realize how much he did to save your granddaughter."

* * *

Catherine hadn't bothered to even look at the others on the team as she slammed the door to the A/V Lab wide open, and was followed in by a reluctant Sam Braun. Grissom quickly put a restraining hand on Warrick who was suddenly infuriated by the mere sight of the man. They had all been updated on the note, and they knew that the only reason Nick had been lying in that box was because of the rich casino owner standing in their midst.

He looked in surprise at the blood that flowed rapidly from the man's arm and leg. He furrowed his brow as the man cried and groaned in pain and anguish.

"You can take the money, Catherine."

"Actually, we need more than just the money." Catherine replied without taking her eyes off her friend who was still crying as his hand rested flatly against the lid to his Plexiglas prison.

* * *

His body ached, and he knew he was losing blood fast. His hands were pressed hopelessly against the glass as he tried not to panic.

"You've gotta find me… please…" He whispered as more pain coursed through him, and caused even more tears to fall from his eyes. _Please… you guys gotta find me… I did my best… please… I can't take it anymore…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: The next chapter ought to be up fairly soon, maybe tomorrow night. As always, please read and review! Depending on your input I could have the next chapter done by tomorrow afternoon, or even in the morning… Also, thanks a ton to everyone who has reviewed my story so far! Thanks for the support!

* * *

Next Chapter: The team is given the drop off instructions, and while Catherine tries to convince Sam Braun to go through with everything Grissom sends the rest of the team back to processing evidence while he watches Nick continue to rapidly lose his blood…

* * *


	5. Giving In

**Crimson Puddles**

Summary: Catherine goes with Sam Braun to make the drop off, but things don't go as planned.

* * *

_It's over… you did your best to save her. There was nothing else you could do. _He tried to convince himself of that, but he was finding it harder and harder to do as he weakly pushed his hands against the Plexiglas. He could feel the blood pooling around him, and he sobbed as he stared at his reflection in the glass.

* * *

"What do you mean there's more? I got you your damn money, so give it to the bastard!"

"He wants you to come with me when we make the drop off. And, quite frankly, I'm willing to do whatever is necessary to make sure we get him back in one piece!" Catherine was clearly furious, and this was a side no one else in the room really wanted to go up against, except for the Casino Owner.

"Alright, so he means a lot to you. He doesn't mean a damn thing to me!"

"He saved your granddaughters life, and he mean nothing to you?" Catherine shouted at the top of her lungs, as she tried to get him to comply.

"Please… please go… please help him." Everyone whirled around as they heard Lindsey's voice from the doorway. Her eyes were filled with tears, and Catherine's mother stood just behind her with a look of pain on her face that Catherine had never seen before.

"Please, Sam. Listen to Lindsey, listen to your granddaughter. Show me that you're not the heartless man. Show me that you still care about you daughter, and your grandchild. Heaven knows how messed up your sons got. Don't cut off your daughter. Don't let the man that saved Lindsey's life die now, just because you don't want to face something that you obviously caused. This is your problem, not his. Don't let him die. He means too much to these people here, especially to our daughter. For once… _please_… just try doing a _selfless_ act."

He slowly looked into her eyes, and then let his gaze fall down to an obviously exhausted and terrified Lindsey. _I suppose this is my problem, or they wouldn't have demanded that I come along._ His eyes flickered back towards the screen at the young man as he sobbed with his hands still pressed flat against the glass of his coffin. "Okay. I'll do it."

Grissom had watched the events closely, and wasn't sure of how to respond until he looked back at the scared look in Nick's eyes. _This isn't right._ "Ok, come on, all you guys have scenes to process, so get busy. Go over evidence, whatever. Catherine, why don't you spend some time with Lindsey. I'll be in here if anyone needs me." Without another word he turned back to the screen and listened carefully for any possible background noise.

* * *

Warrick stood shakily as he waited for the numerous blood samples to come in. Mia sighed as she handed him the results, and gave him a sorrowful look.

"It's all Nick's blood… I'm sorry, Warrick."

* * *

Sara and Greg followed David and Robbins between the three dead bodies. Each had been shot somewhere in the chest area, and all had died at the scene well before they had found their bodies.

"Did you get any ID's?"

"Sorry, Sara. We sent blood samples to CODIS, and we had their prints run through AFIS. No matches and no matches to any relatives. We can't tell you a whole lot about them, but their guns were taken over to be test fired, and they'll be comparing the bullets to those found in Nick's car."

"Ok, thanks anyway, Doc. Call us if you find anything helpful!" She called out shakily as she headed out of the morgue. _We've got to find him…

* * *

_

"Alright, Mr. Braun, lets cut to the chase. Who hates you enough that they'd do something this rash to try to take you down?"

"I don't know Detective, for all I know you could hate me enough to do this."

* * *

"Hello, Catherine."

"Hello…" She replied cautiously, unsure of who it was speaking on the other end of the line.

"I trust you're ready to meet my demands? After all, Nick must mean more to you than that piece of trash that you call a 'father'. I want you and Mr. Braun in the back of his limousine waiting at Flamingo and Koval in one hour. In ten minutes you'll see a fraction of what we'll do to your friend if you don't meet all our demands he dies, and you'll be able to watch him decompose on tape… Or you can have him back in close to one piece, but alive. Your choice."

* * *

Catherine immediately ran back to the A/V Lab, and she opened the doors with an even more worried expression on her face. "How is he Gil?" She didn't bother to keep the exasperation out of her voice as she lifted her fingers to gently stroke the screen where Nick's face was. She shivered as her eyes took in Nick's battered body. His eyes seemed devoid of any hope, of any liveliness she had ever seen in them. Then they saw the hands come into the screen.

* * *

Nick nearly shouted with joy as he felt the Plexiglas disappear from over him, but froze when he saw the two figures dressed in black towering over him. He watched in horror as one of the men tore the short sleeve of his black shirt. His left hand desperately tried to keep the knife away from him, and he managed to cry out as the knife quickly cut away the bloodied bandages.

* * *

"No…" Catherine could feel the words echo through her mind as she tensed up. They could easily see the bullet wound in their friend's arm as he cried out in fear. Her eyes never left the screen as she watched the man in black slowly drag the knife in small circles around the still bleeding wound.

Catherine jumped out of her seat in surprise when the knife was suddenly thrust into Nick's arm. She heard Archie quickly run out of the room, and distantly heard someone throwing up. Her breathing had become quick and shallow as she watched the man rotate the knife in Nick's arm.

Grissom's jaw dropped in shock as he took in Nick's high-pitched screams and the increased flow of blood from his arm. _God… no… no… please… please let this be a dream…_ Tears ran down his face, as they watched in horror as the knife was slowly removed, and even more blood spewed from his arm.

* * *

Nick screamed. All he could see was a blinding white light. He waited desperately for his body to lose consciousness, but it wouldn't come, as the pain in his arm became even more excruciating. His throat was dry, and his screams caused him even more pain as he tried to get more air and his chest moved more rapidly with his increased breathing. His voice slowly gave way as his screams dissolved into weeping sobs of torment. He could hardly think as he watched the top of his coffin once more lifted into place. His blood was literally everywhere around him as it bled freely. He slowly managed to rip a small bit of his shirt free and wrapped it around his hand before pressing it tightly against the warm rush of blood. _It's over… I'm going to die…

* * *

_

Catherine sat nervously in the back of the limousine with a man she felt she truly hated. _If he hadn't pissed the wrong person off Nick wouldn't be moments away from dying. And, there he is, sitting like nothing in the world matters but himself…_

"We're here." Sam announced quietly, and Catherine looked around the empty area where Nick had been kidnapped only several months ago. She watched as the driver quickly got out, and left the area in the only car that had followed them there. She glanced at her watch and counted the final seconds when suddenly they heard someone climb in the front seat before both of the back doors flung open.

She watched as three men climbed in, and her eyes looked over to her father when they realized none of them were wearing masks.

"Why hello, Sam."

"Should I know you?"

"My… my… my… you don't remember the people you cheat do you? You stole ten million dollars from me, hell, you ruined my entire life."

"What's your point?"

"My point is, is that if your daughter ever wants to see Nick Stokes alive ever again then you'd better start doing a little bit better with the questions."

"Look, please… I don't give a damn about anyone else in this limo. I just want my friend back." Catherine started as her eyes glared intently at the man sitting across from them.

"Ok, Miss Willows. Your concern about your friend is well noted, and since time is of the essence for him I suppose I can get the ball rolling. My name, Mr. Braun, is Edward Donovan. Ring any bells?"

"Actually, now that you mention it the name does. That was years ago, and you were the one who betrayed me! I merely…"

"You merely what? What you did was ruin me! You ran off with my money, and I had done nothing to you!"

"That's it, just shut up!" Catherine yelled, unable to control her anger anymore. "Like I said before, I don't give a damn about your problem, why in the hell can't you just give me Nick, and you can settle this while I get him to a hospital! There is a _life_ at stake here, and you two are bickering over something that happened years ago! So here… here's your God damn money, now where is Nick?"

"Catherine… you just don't understand how this is going to go down…"

"On the contrary, I know exactly how this is going to go down, and I want my friend back. He's all that really matters right now. He's a human being for God's sake! He doesn't deserve to be treated like some damn object!" She shot back quickly, relying on her attitude to pull her through this with Nick still alive. _God Nick… just hold on…

* * *

_

"I'm… sorry…" Grissom's head snapped back up to the screen when he heard the words. Nick hadn't actually spoken except for when he had cried out 'No' before the knife had been thrust into his arm. His eyes watched as he noticed the Texan was looking directly at the camera lens.

"I tried my best to save her… T-they told me y-you guys were watching… I-I'm so sorry Grissom… I'm sorry… I… let you down… disa-disappointed you… I'm so sorry…" His words broke down into sobs, as the pain seemed to overcome him once more. Grissom felt his own hands touch the screen, and he felt a shiver run through him when he only felt the cold, hard screen. _He's dying. He's dying right in front of me, and I can't do anything for him.

* * *

_

"Sir, you can pull off here, and let Miss Willows out, I think she'll appreciate our generosity." He smiled as the limo pulled to a stop, and the driver got out and opened the door. She could see they were stopped at a large warehouse, and she looked around cautiously. "I'd suggest you move, Catherine, your friend is in there dying."

She took a deep breath and quickly scrambled out of the limousine as fast as she could. Her eyes never looked back at her father as she raced towards the nearest entrance. From behind her she could hear the limo pull away, and with a quick glance back she realized she was alone. _I'm sorry, Sam, but I have to find him…_ Her eyes searched frantically around for any sort of sign of where she was, and she finally saw a sign that read "Property of Edward Donovan" her eyes quickly moved on to the door as she twisted the handle.

* * *

Grissom doubted he had ever felt so scared in all his life as Nick began to talk again, "I-I… need… to say goodbye… to everyone… Mom… Cisco… my brother… sisters… You guys at the l-lab…" His voice went silent for a moment as he gasped for more air, "Warrick… my b-b-best friend… Sara… Greg… I wanted to say… sorry… Grissom… and Cath… I-I hope you know… I tried my b-b-best to save her… I hope… she… made it…" Finally his head fell back, and his eyes slowly began to close. _No Nick… no! You can make it… she's coming for you right now… please… hold on…_ He had become so wrapped up that he hadn't noticed the three remaining members of the team standing silently behind them.

* * *

Catherine didn't bother looking for any of Donovan's possible henchmen. Her eyes searched only for Nick as she hurried down a hallway, checking every door. Then she heard him. She could hear someone's voice coming weakly from the room at the end of the hall.

"Nick!" She didn't care if anyone heard her. All she could think of was getting to Nick's side, and helping him. _I'm coming Nick!

* * *

_

Grissom suddenly grabbed the arm rests of his chair when he could have sworn he had heard Catherine yell 'Nick!'. _Maybe she's already there… hold on Nick…_ He felt tears streaming down his face when he saw that Nick had finally stopped moving, and his hand was no longer held up against the Plexiglas lid. Instead it was lying immobile over his dirt-covered shirt.

* * *

"Nicky! Hold on, I'm coming for you!" she tried the final door only to find it locked. _Like hell some damn door is going to stop me now!_ She flung herself into the door as hard as she could, and gritted her teeth as she felt her arm twinge with pain. She leapt into it again, and she would've smiled if she hadn't seen Nick's unmoving form lying in his coffin across the room.

* * *

Grissom had never felt so relieved when he saw Catherine's hands come into the screen as they tried to pry the lid open. _Move faster Catherine! Come on… tell us where you are!

* * *

_

Her first focus was on Nick, and she gritted her teeth as she forced the surprisingly heavy lid off and she heard it crack when it hit the ground. She had seen that he had stopped breathing and she instantly moved to check his pulse. _His heart is still beating…_ without hesitating she began to breath at the proper intervals into Nick's mouth. She looked up quickly and noticed the camera, and immediately realized that she should have told them where they were already.

"Grissom! He's in a warehouse owned by an Edward Donovan! I don't know where it is exactly, but that's where we are! We're going to need an ambulance!"

* * *

"You heard her!" Grissom yelled, he was suddenly back in motion as he reached for the nearest computer and ran the search. "They're here!" He yelled loudly as the search provided the address on the screen.

* * *

Catherine checked Nick's pulse once more, and froze. _Come on Nicky… hold on…_ This time she started CPR, and after so many compressions she once more closed her mouth around Nick's and sent another steady breath of air into him. _Please Nick… You can make it… please…_ She barely heard the sirens as she continued trying to desperately make her friend breathe.

Suddenly yelling paramedics surrounded them, and she felt herself being pulled away from Nick as they carefully lifted his still bleeding body was set gently onto a gurney. She quickly followed as they led him to an ambulance, and Warrick and Sara greeted her at the entrance to the warehouse.

"How is he?" Warrick yelled after her as she hurriedly climbed into the ambulance after the paramedics and Nick had settled in and were already back to giving him CPR while another paramedic hurriedly tried to stop him from losing even more blood.

"I honestly don't know…" she managed to choke out as she climbed in. "You guys need to start processing; they dropped me off and took off with Sam Braun… I didn't give a damn before, because of Nick, but please… find him…"

"We will, Catherine… take good care of him!"

"I will, Warrick. I promise…" She called out, and she caught a final glimpse of the scared look on Warrick's face as he saw how pale Nick was. Now that she really could see him she really noticed how pale he was. The only people she had seen so pale had always been dead. _Come on Nick… you can make it…_ But as she looked at his dirt and blood covered body she found herself wondering if it was true.

* * *

"Grissom."

"Hey, Griss. We're down here at that warehouse, thought you might want to join us. Seeing that Sam Braun is still missing."

"Well, I've got to go have a little fight with Ecklie, and then I'm heading over to the hospital to check on Nick and Catherine. After that I'll be there. Ok?"

"Sure thing man… and…"

"What is it Warrick?"

"I'm so scared Griss… promise me you'll call whenever you hear something on Nick's condition… promise me…"

"I promise you'll be the first person I call Warrick. I swear…"

"Ok… thanks…"

"I better get going, or Ecklie is going to be even harder to deal with…" He finished as he quickly hung up, and headed for Ecklie's office. _I hope he doesn't do anything rash…

* * *

_

Catherine sat in silence as her eyes watched through the glass window. There had to be at least a dozen tubes sticking into Nick. He had a large pipe in his throat that was letting him breathe, while his IV provided him with the nutrients he needed. Another pipe was sending antibiotics into his system to fight off the infections around his arm and ankle. She sighed as she eyed the bloodied bag of ice that was being used to try to slow the swelling so they could better repair the damage to his leg just above his ankle where he had been shot. She felt like she was back to watching him on the computer monitor, but this time she knew he wasn't alone.

The doctor had noticed how long the stunningly attractive redhead had been staring through the window. He motioned for one of the nurses to come over and take over his current task, and he slowly headed for the door.

"Excuse me, but may I ask who you are?"

"I… I'm Catherine Willows… I work with him…"

"Ah, so you're the one who gave the paramedics his brief medical history on the way over."

"Yeah… how… how is he? _Please_ say that he's going to be ok…" She felt her voice wavering, but she needed to know.

"I believe he should be fine. He put a tremendous amount of strain on his left foot, but it should heal over time. And his arm will take longer to heal, but he'll regain full movement of it faster. He's undergoing numerous blood transfusions, and we're trying to get more blood into him, which is proving difficult, due to the swelling in his left ankle it's disrupting our abilities to fully stop the flow of blood from his gunshot wound. I hate to say it, but if he makes it… he may never walk again."

"Oh God…" Catherine leant forward and rested her forehead against the glass windows as she started to cry once more. "He ran… he ran for eight miles on that leg… just to save my daughter… and now he… he might never walk again…"

He was stunned by the news, and judging by the look on her face he knew better than to question her honesty. _I suppose that explains the extra strain on his leg… God… eight miles? I guess people will never cease to amaze me…_

He carefully gave her shoulder a slight squeeze before he went back into the room, and placed a clean icepack on his patient's ankle. He quickly moved over to check the man's vitals and gave a slight smile when he saw they were slowly becoming more stable. He looked at the man's still pale face and sighed. Without saying a word he took a small washcloth from a drawer, and rinsed it with water. He slowly began to wash away the dirt on the man's forehead, and he looked up in surprise as he saw Catherine had come in, and had also grabbed a cloth to wipe away the patches of dirt and blood. _You're a lucky man, Mr. Stokes… you certainly have friends who care about you more than they care about life itself…_

Catherine looked sorrowfully at her friend. There was no denying that her trust and respect for him was deeper than she had ever thought possible. _Of course I would never expect someone to do so much for Lindsey… and for me. I can't thank you enough Nick… and if you get better I'll owe you even more… Thank you so much… you saved my daughter from who knows what. You subjected yourself to this, for me… I love you for that… I'll never be able to pay you back for this… never… and if you get better, well… I promise I'll make it up to you… somehow…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Whew! I almost didn't finish, but thanks to your great reviews I kept going on it! I should have another update by Tuesday, or if you're lucky maybe even tomorrow, except I'm planning on spending tomorrow writing my next chapter for An Unfair Act Of Vengeance. Hope you're enjoying this story, and I hope you decide to read my other two. As always I look forward to reading your reviews!

* * *

Next Chapter: Catherine waits with Nick at the hospital while the team searches for Sam Braun.

* * *


	6. Falling Apart

**Crimson Puddles**

Summary: Catherine waits in the hospital as the team tries to track down Edward Donovan and Sam Braun.

* * *

Sara slowly took in the Plexiglas container in complete silence. It seemed as if she had lost the ability to speak when she looked at the bloody handprints on the inside of the cover that Catherine had thrown off in order to get to Nick. They mocked her silently as she tried to take her eyes off them. Suddenly she felt Warrick's hand land on her shoulder, and her eyes slowly shifted up to meet his.

"He's safe now Sara…"

"Like hell he is. If he even lives… you know what the odds are of his ever walking again? Or of him regaining use of his right arm?"

"No. I don't know, and I don't care if he's incapacitated. All I care about is that he doesn't end up dead, or brain dead… The physical stuff doesn't matter Sara…"

"Mmm, and what is Nick going to be like if he can't be a CSI anymore, Warrick? If he's incapacitated… do you really think he'll ever find a way to be happy? Do you honestly think that he'll be able to move on if he _never_ walks again? No… it _does_ matter Warrick. _It matters to all of us._ You know it…" She quickly turned away as it suddenly became overbearing to look at him anymore. Instead her eyes focused on the case where Nick's fresh blood was still clinging to the glass.

* * *

Greg sighed as he watched the screens change every few moments. He knew it was important, but somehow he found himself wishing that he was either in the field or with Nick. _The last thing I want to be doing is sitting in this damn lab watching cars drive by_… Archie clicked on another screen and they caught sight of the limousine once more as Greg trailed the vehicle's progress on a map of the city.

* * *

Catherine slowly repositioned herself in the chair next to Nick's bed. She let out a soft sigh as her eyes surveyed the multitude of clear pipes. In several she could see clear liquids flowing rapidly to or from her friend's body, and in another she watched sadly as his crimson blood flowed threw the clear plastic. Trying to recompose herself she looked at the Texan's face, and seeing a bit more of the color returning to his skin as more blood was pumped into his system. A hand fell gently on her shoulder, and her watery eyes took in the disheveled doctor.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Willows, but the swelling in his ankle is down enough for us to finish fixing up his leg. We'll need you to stay out of our way in the waiting room."

"Oh… uh… ok. Whatever you need to do to make him better…"

"Listen, I wish I could say that your friend was going to be fine, but I'm not going to offer you any false promises. We'll just have to wait and see."

* * *

Grissom moved rapidly through the halls when he came to a halt at Ecklie's office. He quickly entered, and didn't bother to knock as the two men in the room looked up at him.

"Undersheriff McKeen, Ecklie. What do you need to know?" He started confidently, refusing to waste any time while he knew Nick's condition was hardly stable.

"We want to know what the hell is going on Grissom." McKeen answered quickly, cutting Ecklie off.

"Nick is currently in the hospital… and, as for the case itself… Sam Braun is still missing."

"How in the hell did Sam Braun even get involved with this?" McKeen continued, his voice was clearly irritated, and Grissom gave him a questioning glance before answering.

"Because, Edward Donovan demanded him be present. You are aware of the fact that he was actually after Lindsey Willows, not Nick?"

"Yes, Gil, I was _aware_ of that."

"Then I honestly don't see what you're asking. You're making it quite clear that Nick's health and safety aren't your prime concern. You're only concerned about what the media will make of Sam Braun being kidnapped aren't you?"

"I have every reason to care about how the press views this…"

"You want to know something? Quite frankly, I find it disturbing that Sam Braun found his heart before you. He at least realized that Nick ran for eight miles with a bullet in his leg to save Lindsey. Eight miles for God's sake! Nick was willing to sacrifice himself so that Lindsey wouldn't get hurt, or put in further danger! And, that doesn't even account for the fact that he had a bullet in his arm! Nick deserves to get the chance to live his life without it constantly being put on the line, and Sam Braun was willing to give him that chance. So, as far as the media is concerned I don't give a damn. But I will not waste my time explaining why this all happened when I should be at the hospital. So, if you want to apologize you can reach me there." He yelled, and quickly turned to storm out of the office.

"I'm sorry Gil. I really am… I hope he gets better. It'd be a shame to lose such a good CSI."

Grissom turned around in surprise and stared, open mouthed, at Ecklie. "T-thanks, Conrad… it means a lot, and it's good to know he has the lab's support. I'd better go; I need to be there with him."

"I know, and don't worry about your shift. If any of you need a shift off… whenever, I'll take care of it. So, don't worry about how long you stay with him… just don't let yourselves get worn down too much. I can't lose the lab's best team."

"Thanks, Conrad… you're a good man, and we appreciate this more than you can imagine. If you need anything call my cell. If I'm with Nick it'll be off, but I promise I'll call you with updates." He gave Ecklie a smile. He wondered if the man standing across from him had changed since Nick had first been abducted, or if it had merely taken a terrible situation to draw this side of him out. _Either way, I like this 'version' better…_ He quickly turned, and left Ecklie standing there with his puffy red eyes staring silently after him and a flabbergasted McKeen merely gaping at the doorway.

* * *

"Hey Warrick! Did you find anything yet?" Sara called as she moved towards the far end of the warehouse. He turned to look at her as she walked over, and he slowly shook his head.

"Nope… look, we know these guys were wearing gloves, so prints are unlikely to mean anything. Plus, there are all sorts of footprints, so that won't help us either."

"Well, I guess we can head back to the lab then, and let Greg finish processing. I'm sure Sofia and Brass can help out."

"Yeah. Then we can go and see if David or Robbins have found out who our three DBs are."

* * *

Grissom paced in the hallway, and he found himself gnawing on a fingernail as they waited. After a few more moments of watching him move back and forth in anxiety, Catherine decided to say something.

"Come on, Gil. _Please_… just sit down… you're making me nervous…"

"I'm sorry, Catherine… it's just… well… what if he… what if he doesn't make it through this?"

"Gil… I know you're scared… we all are. But, pacing around this hallway, and biting your nails isn't going to help him…" She immediately stood up as they both saw the doctor heading towards them.

"Ah, you must be Dr. Grissom. I'm Dr. William Hawkes, and let me assure you, we are doing our best for Mr. Stokes…"

"How is he? Can we see him?"

"Well… I'm sorry to inform you… that your friend is in a coma…"

"Oh God… uh… do you have any idea for how long?"

"We can't really make accurate predictions I'm afraid… he could wake up in the next hour… or he could be in a coma for the next fifty years… we just don't know. The fact that his body is extremely fatigued isn't helping him out either… you said he ran for eight miles on that leg, right?"

"Yeah… maybe even a bit more…"

"That would explain all the fatigue, and it also explains why his wounds got infected. Now… you can see him, but speaking from experience… it might be better if you wait."

"Why?" Grissom finally managed to speak, and Catherine gave him a worried glance as they all heard how frail his voice was.

"Because… he's got a lot of tubes still in him. Also, he is still quite pale, and… well, I'm speaking from past experience here, but he looks a lot worse than he really is… it'll just take a bit of time for him to start looking like normal. Plus, with the weight loss, and all the machines…"

"Doc… please… I need to see him." Grissom spoke, his voice dwindling to a mere whisper.

"Ok… ok, just don't make any excessive noise, and try not to disturb anything…" He spoke slowly, and he shook his head as let the man enter the closed off room.

"Listen… Miss Willows… if your friend wakes up… he's going to need a lot of time to get past the muscle fatigue, and it could be months before he is even capable of functioning like normal… and don't forget the post traumatic stress… the depression, and it's likely that he'll be forced into a prolonged state of lethargy. Once he wakes up we'll know more about his condition… and it could take a few days, even weeks for him to fully wake up, or even begin to. People don't just 'snap out of it' it'll take time..."

* * *

Grissom slipped quietly into the room, and froze in the doorway when he finally saw how frail Nick looked. His skin wasn't as pale as it had been on the screen, but he hardly seemed alive. A sudden wave of fear took over as he watched the various tubes sticking out of Nick's mouth, arms, and even one that had been inserted into his left leg just over the thick bandages. He could see several odd devices attached to Nick's chest, and he desperately fought to hold back the tears. _How did it come down to this? How can people do this to each other? Huh… maybe that's why I try to distance myself from people… but I can't do that anymore. Some people get close to you… Just like Nick… and the others as well… I let them get close. But, I guess I wouldn't have it any other way… You're strong Nick, you can pull through this… I know you can.

* * *

_

Her fingers twiddled idly as she waited for any more news. Catherine flashed another fearful glance towards the door her supervisor had just entered. _Please… let him be ok… please…_ The sound of approaching footsteps caused her to finally tear her eyes away from the door. Seeing her mother bringing Lindsey slowly towards her nearly brought tears to her eyes as she thought of how terrified Lindsey must have been.

"Hello, dear…"

"Mom…"

"H-how is he?" Lindsey spoke quietly as she took in the look on her mother's face.

"I… I don't know Lindsey… all… all we can do is wait and see…"

"I-I'm scared… he… he…"

"He risked everything… because he knows how important you are… how special you are…" Catherine whispered as she wiped the tears from her daughter's eyes.

* * *

"Now, Sam… why don't we get down to business." Edward Donovan sneered at the man sitting across from him as they watched each other's movements intently.

"If you honestly believe that after everything you've put my daughter and granddaughter through that I'd actually let you get away with it?" he replied with a slightly amused tone.

"Yes, I do. I know you. Everything is all about self-preservation for you."

"All those years ago you would've been right Ed, but not anymore. I'm getting older… time is running out, and I don't want to leave my remaining family until I've done right by them. You don't understand this isn't about me anymore, I'm here because you tried to kidnap my grandchild. I'm here because Mr. Stokes risked his life for her. Not a single man I've ever met would've done so much… He deserves the chance to live, and my daughter deserves to have people like him around when most of the men she knows are scum!"

* * *

"Alright you guys, what have you got?" Brass asked as he looked at the exhausted group. Sara sighed and stared blankly at a wall in an attempt not too look at the others. Greg was sitting at the table with his head resting in his hands, and Warrick was sitting nearby gazing intently at his feet.

"Our leads didn't get us anywhere. Archie is trying to find the limo again, but it isn't looking good… Robbins couldn't find much to help us, and without the limo on the cameras we have no clue as to Sam Braun's location." Warrick replied softly.

"How is Nick doing?"

"He… Catherine… called… he… he's in a coma. Could come out of it in a few hours, a few days or even… years…" Warrick answered once more and Brass suddenly felt a new fury urge through him._ The poor kid has been through enough for God's sake! I swear if I ever get my hands on these guys they're going to regret it…_

"Hey guys, I think I've found them!" They all jumped as Archie's words slowly registered.

"What? Where?" Sara asked, suddenly glad for the distraction of the case.

"I think they're in this old complex here… a limo just pulled up, and a few people climbed out… and this isn't quite the place you'd expect to find a bunch of rich people…"

"We'll be down there in a few minutes, I'll get backup…" Brass answered as he turned and left to retrieve more officers.

* * *

"So, Sam, I hope you know I'm not buying this pathetic attempt to make me believe you actually care about anyone…"

"It doesn't matter what you think. It never mattered, and it will never matter. All you had to do was come to me. Instead you acted like some rash imbecile, and tried to get at me through my family and their friends, so as far as I'm concerned you're the one who only cares about the money."

"You really ought to think before you speak. I want what you took from me all those years ago."

"You have your fifteen million. And I know you're not stupid enough to actually think that you'll be able to go back and start over after everything you've done."

Just as he finished his sharp retort they heard the sounds of various vehicles coming to a screeching stop just outside. Donovan quickly moved to the window and froze when he saw the dozens of police cruisers and officers moving around below. His focus returned to Sam Braun who was standing still, not bothering to hide his smile.

"They're here already, aren't they? You see, you can't beat them. You couldn't even kill Stokes. You're merely the same coward you always were. A coward that hires pathetic psychotic men to do his dirty work…" He paused as they heard the front entry being busted open, and the silence was suddenly interrupted by repeated bursts of gunfire. Several moments later they heard numerous heavy footsteps coming their way.

"I just wanted to… to have it all… to have what I deserved..."

"You don't really think I have it all do you? Are you that thick headed? Money won't buy happiness, Ed. Hell one of my sons killed my other son! The only members of my family that have ever been worthy of anything can hardly bring themselves to speak to me! Catherine… she built a life for herself and for Lindsey. She did something I could never do. She gave her daughter a good life. She allowed herself to find happiness. She didn't turn away the people that really mattered like I turned away her mother. She made friends with people like the man you abducted. She has real friends… friends who would do anything for each other because they care about each other…"

He could see the surprise etched in the other man's face as the door behind him suddenly flew open to reveal several officers racing into the room with their weapons drawn. His head shook slightly as they moved to cuff him until everyone froze.

All eyes in the room were staring cautiously at Edward Donovan who was now holding a pistol in his outstretched hand. Tears formed in his eyes as he looked around the room, and allowed his eyes to finally rest on Sam Braun. Just seeing him seemed to make his rage die. He finally thought about what the man he had had abducted went through. _He ran for miles with a bullet in his leg to save his friend's daughter… he was right…_

"You were right Sam. We can't go back. We can't right the wrongs of the past. Never… it's too late… Now it's going to end, once and for all…"

They watched in horror as the gun quickly went up to the man's ear, and before anyone had the chance to react they heard the explosive gunshot echo through the room. Two officers slowly led the millionaire from the room, while another officer began to tape off the scene. _No… it's not over… you might not have been able to correct your mistakes, but I'm not going to let Catherine down… she's earned so much more from me…

* * *

_

Catherine stood with Lindsey off to the side of the simple bed watching in a daze as a nurse checked Nick's vitals. She nodded slightly to them as she moved to leave, and she slowly excused herself from the room after giving them a quick morose glance. Lindsey slowly walked up towards the unmoving man, and slowly touched his cheek.

"He… doesn't look scared… like he did before… he doesn't look mad… or like he's in pain… he… he looks so…"

"I know, Lindsey… he looks calm, and at peace… his skin is starting to regain some color, and the doctors say he's doing better…"

"Then why can't he wake up?" Lindsey asked quietly as she stared intently at the man's unmoving form, and she cautiously eyed the tubes that stuck out of his throat.

"Because… he… went through a lot… and he's gone into a coma…"

"Will he ever wake up?"

"I… I honestly don't know… All we can do is hope… hope for the best…"

* * *

Warrick looked in on the dismal scene. They had finally been able to verify that they had indeed found all of Donovan's henchmen. Vega had taken the two sole survivors of Donovan's men back to the station. Just seeing how this man had shot himself made Warrick's blood begin to boil. _Why did he have to put Nick through all this and then commit suicide?_

"Hey Warrick… you ok?" Greg asked a bit timidly.

"How do you think I am?" Warrick snapped viscously.

"I… he'll wake up, man… he has to… he'll snap out of it…" Greg's voice clearly displayed the uncertainty he felt inside him.

"God… Greg, did you _ever_ stop to think of what'll happen if he _does_ wake up? What is he going to do if he can never walk again, Greg, huh? What is he going to do? He won't be able to be a CSI… he won't be able to do most of the things he used to enjoy. He might never be able to lift another weight in his life. He may never run, jog, swim, hell, he may never play baseball again! Do you really think he's ever going to be the same? For crying out loud he'll probably end up moving back to Texas or something!"

Both of them fell silent as the older man's words sunk in. Greg's shoulders slumped and he slowly let himself sink to the floor with his head coming to a rest between his knees.

"I-I've been so stupid haven't I? Nick's just so… I can't help but think… think that he would've been better off if he hadn't made it…"

Warrick watched as the younger man slowly ran his hands through his hair, and he suddenly took in the other's appearance. Greg's posture, his voice, even his eyes suggested that he had been defeated. His hair was dull and lifeless, and his clothes lacked the usual intensity. _This is wrong… we're falling apart… and there's nothing we can do about it.

* * *

_

Grissom sat wearily behind his desk, and glanced around his office. Things had so drastically. It had been four days since Nick had gone into a coma, and it had practically torn the entire team apart. His head rose slowly as he heard more shouting erupt from somewhere in the lab. He could distinctly make out Warrick and Sara's voices as they fought, but their words were incomprehensible from his office. He let out a deep sigh and went back to his paperwork. Every other time he had tried to intervene and calm someone down had ended up in Catherine taking a few days of unpaid leave, and having everyone exceptionally furious not only with each other, but with him as well.

They had even stopped visiting Nick together. Nothing could hide the fact that they were no longer functioning well together. The last scenes they had processed in complete silence, and had only spoken when necessary unless someone was fighting. His eyes focused on a picture of the whole team while eating breakfast together. Each of them was smiling, laughing. _I doubt we'll ever see that again. It's been too long since I've heard any laughter coming into this office. It's been too long since we've had Nick to keep us together… to keep us strong… I just hope you can wake up soon, Nick…otherwise it'll be too late… we need you so much more than any of us have managed to realize…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Sorry it took me so long to update! Hope this was worth the wait, and that you enjoyed it! As always please review, and I want to thank everyone for their comments so far!

* * *

Next Chapter: Sam Braun talks with Catherine, and the team receives more news on Nick.

* * *


	7. Waking Up

**Crimson Puddles

* * *

**

Summary: Catherine talks with Sam Braun while they all learn more about Nick's condition. Meanwhile, Nick's parents head straight for Vegas when they hear some of what's happened to their son.

* * *

It had been a week since she had seen anyone from their team except Nick. Nothing made her regret the fight she had gotten into with the others, and she had almost appreciated the suspension. _At least I can stay with Nick…_ Lindsey was at school, and she knew the others would never come by when she was there.

Catherine sighed as she sat back. They were running even more tests on Nick. The fact that he was still unconscious and hadn't moved on his own since she had found him tore at her heart. More tears fell as she let out a strangled sob.

"Hello… Catherine."

Her head snapped up when she saw Sam move to sit next to her.

"W-what are you doing here?" She nearly shuddered when she heard how frail her voice was. _I guess it doesn't matter… this is the only chance I get to let my emotions show. If Lindsey… if she saw me like this it would scare her to death…_

"I… I said some things before… that were cruel. I have never… known you to be so… terrified. It made me think, and I realized how much your friend obviously means to you. Not to mention to Lindsey… and if anyone means that much to you… then they mean more to me. All I want is for you to be happy Catherine… you and Lindsey…"

"I… t-thank you…" She whispered as she quickly pulled him into a tight hug.

"It kills me to see you this way, Catherine. I can stay for a little while, and I hope with all that remains of my heart that he gets through this…"

* * *

"Oh please… I think everyone is just about sick and tired of your damn guilt trips Warrick!" Sara shouted as more faces turned to look at them.

"Who do you think you are? Just because you go and visit him every once in a while won't bring him back! For God's sake his odds of waking up go down drastically with every freaking minute!" He yelled back furiously. Mia and Archie were stone silent as they listened to the two continue to scream wildly at each other.

"You can't even look at him! For crying out loud what kind of friend are you? When he needs support you're running away!"

* * *

Grissom strode past the door quietly and sighed as he heard them fighting once more. Just yesterday he had seen Hodges trying to break up a fight between Sara and Greg. _I can't do this anymore… I can't handle these… these people… I'm not sure if I even knowwho they are anymore._

He stood leaning against the wall for a few more moments when he suddenly heard Brass join in on the yelling as he roughly dragged Sara out of the lab and told her to go talk to Sofia about some case. His head sunk lower in the sudden silence that engulfed the entire lab as people slowly and silently went back to their work. _I'm not sure I can do this anymore… No… I have to… for Nick… If he wakes up… I can't let him face this disaster alone…_ He slowly headed back to his office and quickly locked the door before starting on more paperwork. Something about the certainty of it calmed him, and he had hardly left the office over the past week. His eyes scanned the fairly blank walls, and he found himself shuddering as his eyes landed on the boxes lying near his door that held every insect related display he had once been fascinated by.

Now they merely reminded him of Nick. What had started this all. Something about seeing him covered with those welts from the fire ants had changed his perspective. _Ironic… the things thatused tofascinate mealmost killed one of the people I'm closest to…

* * *

_

"Miss Willows!" Her head snapped up as she saw the doctor running flat out towards them.

"What? Oh, God... h-how is he?" She couldn't hide the desperation in her voice as he took a deep breath before beginning to answer her.

"Mr. Stokes… he… woke up for a few minutes…"

"Only for a few minutes?" She could hear the slight relief in her voice.

"Actually, after going into a coma, people don't just 'snap out' of it. When they first wake up it's usually only for a slight period of time…"

"So you think he's going to be ok?" She asked as she felt herself begin to slightly calm down.

He sighed as he tried to ignore the sudden surge of hope in her trembling voice. _Just tell her… she'll find out one way or another…_

"I… ok… ok might be a long shot... I suspect he will wake up, again, for a longer period of time… it's just that… that's not the probable extent of his problems…"

Catherine suddenly sat back down as she allowed his words to sink in. _No… he has to be ok… I… I can't lose him… not after what he did for me…_

"How bad is he?" Sam asked quietly as he watched his daughterstruggling in vain to control her emotions.

"I'm afraid we don't have too much, but he was clearly suffering through a panic attack for the few minutes he was awake… I suspect he'll suffer from depression, but from prior experience I'm afraid to say that it's likely he'll suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder… who knows what other problems. Emotionally he may never recover. And physically speaking, he may never walk again… and I suspect he'll be extremely lethargic. After the stress his body went through I doubt he'll want to move much at all, or even be able to."

Catherine quickly put her hand over her mouth as she thought about what the man standing there was actually saying.

"I… I'm so sorry… I'll let you know when he wakes up again; if you wish… you could sit with him now. Just let me warn you… he's been restrained… when he last woke up he gave one of the other doctors a pretty big bruise, and he nearly reopened his wounds…"

She slowly allowed him to guide her into the room where she finally felt her remaining hope disappear. Nick's skin was nearly white, and he had deep bruises on his wrists where his restraints held him firmly in place.

"Oh, Nick… I'm so sorry… _none_ of this should have ever happened to you…"

She let out a small gasp when she saw his eyes slowly slide open, and she felt her jaw drop when she saw the look in his eyes. _He's beyond terrified… _She reached out to touch his hand, but winced when he recoiled and his breathing became heavier. She noticed for the first time that the tube from his mouth had been removed, in its place was a large oxygen mask, but she felt more tears come to her eyes when he started to tremble with his eyes wide, clearly showing his fear and apprehension.

He could feel the sweat clinging painfully to his skin. All he could see were the Plexiglas walls surrounding him, and just beyond them nothing but barren trees. _No! I can't… don't let them… someone… anyone… please… please! Help…_

Catherine slowly fell backwards into a seat as she watched Nick's glazed eyes grow even wider as his body suddenly went limp, and he was sweating and clearly more than exhausted from his fighting. The deep bruises on his wrists were slightly visible now that he was once more lying immobile. She silently shook her head in disbelief when he began to stutter a few words as he gasped for breath between his sobs. She could see the tears streaming rapidly from his eyes as he spoke just loud enough for her to hear him.

"Please… help… me… I… don't want to die… you have to let me out… please… don't hurt her… let her go… let her be safe…" His voice was weak, and she could barely hear the words through the mask, but there was no denying the weakness or the dismay in his Texan accent.

She quickly fought to regain herself, and slowly forced herself to stand and move closer to Nick's slumped form. She gently took a hold of Nick's hands, and nearly screamed in fright when he tried to sit up, and his eyes went even wider. _No… please… you have to be ok… you have to get better…

* * *

_

Grissom sat behind his desk in disbelief. _He woke up…_ Yet, somehow he was no longer so sure he could handle seeing Nick. The words that had just been given to him over the phone by Nick's doctor terrified him. _Post Traumatic Stress Disorder… God, Nick… how did it come to this? _More shouts erupted from outside his office, but suddenly he found himself becoming slightly interested in what they were saying. _You've got to get the team back together. Nick did it before unintentionally… He may not be with us for long now… I guess it's left up to me…_

"Everyone shut up!" Grissom stood in the doorway to the break room and fought the urge to smile when Warrick, Sara, and Greg immediately fell silent.

"Alright, listen up. Nick woke up… I just got a call from his doctor. He was up for a few minutes… Catherine is with him now, but we're _all_ heading down there now."

"But… Grissom… I…" Warrick sunk into the nearest chair as his words dissolved into silence as his body shook violently.

"I don't give a damn, Warrick. This is about _Nick_. Not any of you. He _needs_ us… we all know that he deserves the chance to live a life again, and we're going to give that to him. Look, the worst case scenario is that he becomes depressed and possibly suicidal… something he doesn't deserve. We're going to go head over there, and we're going to do our best to give him the opportunity to recover. Please… I'm _begging_ you… put your differences aside… forget about the fights… just let him… let him have the chance to possibly salvage what remains of his life. Don't do it for anyone but him… he is going to need us now more than ever. I can't let him lose _everything_… not after all he's been through…" Grissom found that he no longer had the strength to lift his head and look at them as his voice went from firm and commanding to a pathetic whimper. He could feel the tears as they flowed, and he suddenly found his legs give way.

"You're right… he deserves better than this from us…" Warrick whispered as he felt his eyes drift slowly to the floor.

They sat in silence as the vehicle pulled to another stop. "I… I'm sorry Sara. You were right. I was just so scared… so scared to see him… if he died… I… I didn't want to remember him like that… not as some lifeless body in a coma…"

"It's ok, Warrick… I'm sorry too… I… I shouldn't have said those things about you. I know how much care about him…" Sara whispered back as they continued to stare out their windows not wanting to allow their emotions to once more overcome them.

"It's… it's not fair… he's already been through so much, and now… now he has to go through even more…" Warrick felt Sara softly pat his back as they turned to face each other slowly. Grissom gave Greg a weary glance, and he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel before turning on the radio. He quietly flipped through channels until he stopped as a familiar song started to play on one of the stations.

They sat in silence as the dreary song continued to play. Warrick glanced quickly back towards Sara before he returned his focus to the flashing lights of the casinos as they desperately hoped that Nick would be ok.

* * *

She wept silently as she gazed at Nick who was once more completely still. She could hardly see his chest moving up and down, and his face seemed unrealistically blank. No matter how hard she tried she simply couldn't see any hint that he had ever felt a single emotion. _Come on, Nick… I know you can do this… you're too strong to go down like this…_ Her head snapped up when she saw the door slowly open, and she didn't have the chance to wipe the tears from her eyes when she saw the other members of the team slowly enter the room.

"H-hello, Catherine." Grissom offered quietly as they immediately took in their friend's appearance. Grissom quickly noticed the bruises on his restrained wrists, and the paleness of his skin, and the slight mist of his breath in the plastic mask over his mouth. He quietly moved across the room and embraced Catherine. He nearly expected her to fight back, but she merely buried her face in his shoulder and let even more tears flow.

"Why? Why did he do this to himself? He… he didn't have to do any of it… but… he did. He saved her… and he _condemned_ himself to this…" she whispered as she struggled to remain calm. Grissom could feel her trembling as he tried to reassure her.

"It's who he is Catherine… if he sees someone who needs help he's the first to…"

"But, _why_, Gil? Doesn't he know that he's already been through too much? H-he deserves so much… after last summer… what's going to happen if he does become depressed? What happens if he _never_ walks again? Things were supposed to get _better_… not _worse_…"

She slowly pulled away from Grissom and moved closer to Nick's still unmoving body. She silently ran her fingers through his short brown hair as she thought to everything he had been put through. _This isn't right… how did he even make it this far? Please Nicky… please don't give up… please…

* * *

_

He could distantly feel his eyes trying to open. Several bursts of pain shot through him, and he couldn't hold back a loud cry. His hands immediately tried to take a hold of his shoulder as he felt the pain continue to build up. His eyes snapped open when he realized that he couldn't move his arms more than a few millimeters.

* * *

They instantlyfocused on Nick as he cried out in pain, and they could tell hewas waking up. There was no mistaking the tension forming in his arms, and the sudden look of pain etched on his face. They barely had time to prepare themselves when his eyes burst open, and he began to frantically pull against his restraints. Sara quickly turned away as tears started to fall from Nick's eyes. Without thinking Greg quickly moved in to try to calm the panicking man down, but he only succeeded in making Nick cower back and whimper in fear.

* * *

All he felt were hands pushing him back down. They were still holding him in place. Something stopped him from looking down, and all he wanted to do was to shrink back and to disappear. _They'll go away… they have to… it'll be over soon… _Slowly he felt is body stop moving, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't even make his fingers move. _What's happening to me? Why can't I move? What's wrong with me?

* * *

_

Catherine sighed heavily when they saw Nick's eyes close once more and his body went limp again.

"What if this is all that's left?" Greg whispered the question all of them couldn't help but think. He slowly let his hand wipe a tear from his eye as they saw the emotionless face on the man lying before them once more.

"I… I… _can't_…" Catherine burst out and she quickly spun to face the wall as she covered her face with her hands.

"You've got to give him more time. He's only come to three times…" Grissom whispered despondently as he stared at Nick's unmoving form. He silently prayed that he was right, and that given time Nick would be able to overcome all of this.

"Yeah, and each time hepanicked and struggled until his body couldn't move anymore!" She responded trying to keep her voice calm. "He… how is he supposed to live like this?"

Before anyone could respond a few different doctors entered the room with a few nurses and they quickly began to rearrange the various pipes and the restraints holding Nick.

"Uh… excuse me? What exactly are you doing?" Greg asked as they moved another bed next to the one Nick was lying on. A nurse quickly removed the blankets from Nick's once more unmoving body, and he bit his lip when he saw the restraints on Nick's legs. They quickly untied the padded bonds, and they all found their eyes staring at the deep bruises from his struggling. Moments later they were once more covered by the restraints as they positioned him on the gourney.

"Oh, we're getting him ready for some more tests, and he'll be up there until we can evaluate his current mental status."

"Hey, could you show him a little _respect_?" Warrick snapped at the doctor's perfunctory statements.

"Listen, we're sorry that this happened, but sugarcoating this isn't going to help anyone. For all real purposes he could be suffering from PTSD, depression, and possibly even have certain parts of his brain shut down on him."

"Look, arguing isn't going to get anything done, so just tell me, has his family been informed?" Grissom questioned loudly making sure he stopped anyone from making the situation any more tense.

"We took the liberty to leave a message with his parent's secretaries." He answered as the nurses took advantage of the distraction and hurriedly wheeled Nick out of the room.

* * *

No one noticed when she silently entered the courtroom. All eyes were intently focused on the attorney who was currently giving a speech. She gently walked up to the wood barrister and stood patiently waiting for him to stop. As soon as he had stopped speaking and had gone to take his seat she pushed the wooden gate open, and quickly marched up to the bench.

"Michelle… what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry Bill… I've got some terrible news…"

"What happened?" He demanded firmly as his mind instantly thought back to his son as he struggled in his glass coffin. _Please let my children be ok… please let them be ok…_

"Y-your son… Nick… he went into a coma… the doctor that called said that he has already come to three times, but they still aren't sure of his condition. I… it might be better if we finish this somewhere else…"

"Ok, I'll call for a recess…" He said as he quickly stood up. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we're going to have to have a recess."

The man that she had seen earlier immediately rose before directing him, "May we ask why, Your Honor? After all, we are almost done here…"

"I'm afraid something of a crisis has come up, and I need to further discuss it with my secretary."

"But, sir… certainly you know the importance of this case!"

"I do, thank you very much, but perhaps when one of your children goes into a coma you'll understand. Court adjourned until further notice." He quickly slammed the gavel down, and didn't wait for anyone to respond before he disappeared out the door with Michelle following on his heels. As soon as she closed the door behind her he wheeled around.

"Did they say what happened?"

"No… but they did say that he was shot twice, and that for some reason he put an excessive amount of stress on his body afterwards."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? Did they say how he is doing otherwise?"

"I'm sorry, Bill… I don't know what they meant, and otherwise… well, they said they were checking to make sure he didn't have any brain damage, and they are running tests to try and see if he'll suffer from any long lasting physical injuries. They're hoping to perform a psychological evaluation to see if he's suffering for PTSD… and they're not sure he'll be able to walk even if he recovers otherwise…"

"Oh _God_… listen, call Judge Michaels, ask him to fill in for me, and call the airport and get me a ticket on the first plane leaving for Vegas. Then call Jillian. Make sure she knows I'm already on the first flight out, and then call my kids… they deserve to know..."

A half-hour later he was sitting impatiently in his seat. His hands firmly clung to his knees as he tried to stay calm. _God… what have you gotten into now Pancho? It's only been a few months…_He slowly forced himself to try to remember everything he knew about comas, as well as victims of Post Traumatic Stress.

* * *

"Hello, Lily."

"Sam… I was wondering if you were going to show up to talk to me."

"Listen, Lily… I never did right by you, or Catherine… I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to realize that the only family I ever had that was worth anything was because of you. I… her friend showed me that there are still good people out there. That good deeds are possible, and I was hoping to find a way to make up for all the mistakes I've made…"

"I… I wouldn't have any problem forgiving you, but what about Catherine? What about Lindsey, she's only thirteen, and she hardly knows who you are, what would you even say to her?"

"I… I have to find a way to make this right again…"

* * *

It seemed like they were waiting forever in the small room where the bed was now empty. Catherine was still clutching Grissom, and he was trying his best to comfort her as she let herself break down and cry silently into his shoulder. _We'll never find solace without you… you've got to get better, Nick, otherwise… it's all over…

* * *

_

She froze as the bailiff handed her the sheet of paper. It took all her strength to not burst out in tears as she reread the note. _No… it can't be… Nick… oh… please be ok…_ Without hesitating she rose from her seat, and hastily addressed the judge before she walked brusquely up to the bench.

"What is it Jillian?" He offered quietly as the other attorney made his way up to the bench.

"What is going on? It's been a long day, we don't exactly have all the time in the world…"

"Just let her speak Mark." He responded curtly as he turned back to Jillian.

"We have to push this case back… or at least get someone to replace me."

"Why?"

"I just received this note… my son, Nick… he went into a… a coma… they said he's woken up a few times, but they don't know the extent of what's happened to him… I… I have to go… I have to see him." She bit her lip as she felt her eyes begin to water despite her best efforts.

He quickly scanned the message, and sighed as he remembered how he had seen her son on the news after his abduction the previous summer. "Alright, you go ahead and leave. I don't think there should be any arguments, especially after everything that has already happened to your son. Have a safe trip, Jillian… and I hope he's ok."

"Thank you so much…" Shefrowned in fear of her son's conditionas she felt her stomach churning. Her steps echoed through the room as people watched her leave not bothering to hide their curiosity. As soon as she was out in the lobby she was met by her assistant who merely handed her a plane ticket, and followed her to the main entrance.

"There is a cab waiting to take you to the airport, and I've already called the airport in Vegas. They've arranged to have a taxi waiting for you the moment you arrive to take you to the hospital…" She took a deep breath as she followed her boss out the door, "I'm really sorry… I hope he's ok!" She finished calling out as she watched the older woman run as fast as she could down the polished stairs and towards the waiting cab in her heels and skirt.

An hour later Jillian Stokes was sitting silently in the airport waiting for her flight. _He's going to be ok… Bill will be there in about an hour… he'll be ok… he'll wake up… he'll snap out of it. He's strong… he's always been strong… if anyone could make it… he could. Please, Nicky… please be ok…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: You may not have noticed any major changes, but I was rereading the chapter a bit, and I thought some of the parts seemed a little cheesy, so I went back and changed some of the minor details. I was also informed about some facts with Schizophrenia that I wasn't aware of, so if there were any mentions to that disorder in previous chapters, sorry. Hope you all like the slight changes, and as always please review!

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick's father arrives at the hospital only to find Nick's friends alone. Nick wakes up, and the doctor's perform their tests. Meanwhile, Nick's mother finds herself close to breaking down when she gets on the plane, and Sam Braun talks with Catherine's mother…

* * *


	8. Promises

**Crimson Puddles**

Summary: Once Nick wakes up Catherine and Lindsey go in to see him. Nick's father arrives at the hospital. Meanwhile, Sam Braun talks with Lindsey and Catherine's mother in an attempt to finally try to undo his mistakes.

* * *

_God, Pancho… what's happening to you? How could this happen? Why is it always you? None of your siblings have had a gun shoved in their face… had a stalker… why is it that it's always you? How much more are you going to have to face? How much more are you going to have to suffer through?

* * *

_

His eyes slowly fluttered open as he felt more intense pain shoot through his entire body. _When is it going to end? Why don't they just end it for God's sake… Why can't it just go away? I don't want any more pain… I don't want to suffer anymore… I don't want to be the goddamned victim…

* * *

_

"Miss Willows?" She turned quickly as Dr. Hawkes addressed her. Her stomach tightened when she saw the guilt etched in his face. Without hesitating she rose from her seat in the small waiting room.

"Is… is Nick ok? Please… please tell me he's going to be fine…"

He sighed when he heard the simple begging in her frail voice. "He's fine, for right now, he is completely stable, and his test results aren't back yet. I… I just came to apologize… Dr. Mitchell… from before; he's new, and some things happened that truly shouldn't have. First, I promise you there is going to be hell to pay for whoever screwed up with his restraints. There is simply _no_ excuse for those bruises, and as far as diagnosing him… It'll be months before he can be even semi accurately diagnosed with something as serious as PTSD, and we simply don't know enough about his condition as of yet…"

"I… I don't know what to say…" Her watery eyes slowly made contact with the doctor standing near her as she subconsciously wiped her nose with a tissue. "I… I need him to get better…"

"Listen… in all honesty, I've never seen anything like this happen before. And, I promise, no… I swear, with all my heart, that there won't be any more mistakes concerning your friend… and, if there are, I'll make sure that it is properly dealt with…"

"So… wait… he could come through all this, and not suffer from… depression… or…"

"I'm sorry, Miss Willows, but I… well, for the sake of avoiding any more problems I'm not sure if it's right for me to… well, for me to speculate here."

"I… I suppose I can respect that… I guess it's for the same reason we try to avoid going after suspects without enough evidence…"

"Yeah, I suppose it is… a lot of people learn the hard way that jumping the gun on serious situations can cause a lot of harm."

"S-so… how is he right now?" Her eyes once more fell to the floor as she waited for an answer.

"As of right now he has been sedated, and we're keeping the oxygen mask on as a precaution. His entire body has been seriously weakened, and we want to make sure that his organs continue to function as best as they can. We should be done with all his tests for a while, and they're moving him back to his room now, so you'll be able to see him once they get him settled in again. Are your friends still here?"

"Uh… Warrick and Greg… they went to get some… some food… and Gil… and Sara… they went to… call in a favor. They should all be back soon…"

"That's good… now I'm sure you don't want to hear this, but make sure you get something to eat, and that you all get some rest. You can't help your friend if you're all running on empty…" He offered her a weak smile before he turned and headed back down the hall. _I'm sorry. I wish I could have brought you the news you wanted… I wish I knew if he was going to be ok or not… I guess all I can do is work my best to make sure he has the chance to recover…_

Somehow it was easier for her. _It's too early to diagnose him…_ The mere thought that they hadn't said he would suffer from PTSD gave her hope as she silently prayed that he would find a way through this. Suddenly she thought back to the previous summer. Her mind replayed all the cases they Nick had been on since they had rescued him. Images of the dark and forlorn bunker flashed through her mind as she mentally berated herself for even allowing Nick within a hundred yards of that building. _How could we have been so stupid? Why did we let him go through so much? _

"Mom!" Catherine's head snapped up when she heard Lindsey's voice, and she gave her daughter a small smile as she watched her running down the halls with Lily following as quickly as she could. She quickly lowered herself, and pulled Lindsey into a tight hug.

"How are you?" She asked as she used her free hand to wipe any remnants of her tears from her eyes, and forced her voice to sound a bit more lighthearted.

"I couldn't sit still all day… I need to know if he's ok… he _has_ to be, Mommy. He has to be…"

"Shh… everything is going to be ok… I promise…"

"I'm scared… he… he didn't leave me… he put me in the backseat… but… he… he made sure I was safe… he made sure that… that I was gonna be ok… Why… why did they do this to him?"

"Honestly… life isn't fair Lindsey, unfortunately you know that as well as anyone… those men wanted to hurt you, to take you away so your grandfather would give them money. And… when Nick saved you… it made them mad… because they saw that some people's lives aren't about money, but about… well, about life. Nick… he's a good man… probably one of the last ones in Vegas…"

"I… I need him to be ok…" Lindsey confessed as she felt more tears fall from her eyes. And, even though she could rarely stand her mother's presence at times she had never been gladder to see her. Catherine clung tightly to Lindsey as she felt tears silently begin to fall down her cheeks. "I… I love you, Mom…"

"I love you too… more than you can even know… I do…" Catherine whispered as she gave Lindsey a quick firm squeeze before she moved back to face her. She offered Lindsey a small smile before breaking down and pulling her into another hug. "He's the strongest person I've ever met… if anyone can make it through this… it'll be him."

* * *

He felt more tears fall from his eyes as more intense bursts of pain erupted through him. He felt his body slowly relax as the pain seemed to ease up a bit. He slowly forced his eyes open, but he couldn't focus on anything in the bright room. _No… this isn't right… it's too… wrong…

* * *

_

"Miss Willows… he's waking up again… we were hoping you might be able to get through to him this time. If you can keep him calm… then we can get those restraints off, and get him a bit more comfortable…"

"T-thanks… I'll be right in…"

"I… I want to see him, Mom…"

"I… I guess… if it's ok… with the doctor…" Catherine responded, suddenly unsure if his was a good idea.

"As long as she is sure she can handle it… I can't see there being any reason for her not to… you may want to explain the… err… tubes… and… Miss Willows… keep her calm…"

Catherine slowly opened the door to let Lindsey enter the room. She felt her breath catch in her throat as she saw Nick lying in the bed with his entire body limp. Her mouth opened slightly as she saw him sobbing quietly. And though she wasn't sure she thought she could hear him speaking.

"I'm sorry… let her be ok… I'm not ready… I don't want to… to die…"

Without hesitating she quickly moved past Lindsey and moved across the room to stand next to Nick's feeble body. _I'm going to help you Nick… _Her mind raced as she remembered how Nick had reacted when Greg had grabbed his hand. _Well, if that won't work I have one advantage left…_

Without really thinking she leant over the side of the bed and gently she felt her hand gently pulling the oxygen mask down.

Nick's mind was racing when he felt the slight pressure around his mouth gone, and his eyes suddenly seemed focused when he felt something familiar touch his lips. He tried desperately to remember what the sensation was when he suddenly saw her.

Catherine slowly pulled back, and placed the oxygen mask back over her friend's mouth. She subconsciously put her hand to her lips when she realized what she had done.

"C-Catherine… is… is t-that… you?"

"I'm right here Nick… y-you're going to ok… you're going to ok, I… I promise…" She whispered frantically as she let one of her hands gently grab hold of Nick's, while she gently ran her other hand through his short hair.

"L-Lindsey… is she… ok?" He could barely hear the words he was managing to choke out, and his head sagged back into the pillow from exhaustion as he felt himself starting to sweat profusely.

"She's fine… you saved her Nick… y-you're my… our hero…" She smiled as she wiped a few tears from his eyes, and for the first time in the past few weeks felt herself truly relax. _He recognized me… he knows who I am… he… he's going to be ok… he has to be…

* * *

_

He watched in surprise as she removed the oxygen mask. If he hadn't been so shocked he would've intervened immediately, and when he saw her kiss him he was waiting for the man to immediately flip out. But he was even more surprised when he had suddenly recognized her. He quickly searched for something that might explain the injured man's reactions. _I… suppose it could be that all his captors were men… and that course of action would perhaps help him realize that he's out of danger…

* * *

_

"Oh, Nick… we… we were so worried about you…" Catherine spoke softly as she gently wiped the tears from his pale face.

"I… I s-s-should've… done… more…" Nick muttered solemnly as his weary eyes gazed at the woman standing next to him. He felt a sudden slight tension around his wrists, and for a moment he couldn't see anything again, but he allowed himself to slightly relax when his vision refocused and he once more saw her standing there. "Am… am I… am I… dead?"

"No… you're going to make itNick… you're in the hospital… you're safe… it's all over… there's nothing to be afraid of… everyone is fine…"

"N-Nick… I… thank… thank you so much…" Lindsey quietly piped up as she moved to stand next to her mother.

"Hey… it's good to… s-s-see that… you're… ok…"

"T-thanks… I'm sorry… that… this happened…"

"H-hey… it isn't… your fault… I… I should've been… quicker…"

Catherine nearly winced at the obvious guilt in Nick's voice, and she could feel the tears building up again. _He's felt guilty for his entire life… no. He's felt guilty since he was nine… He can't let it go… he can't find a way to move on… He actually thinks this is his fault…_

"Nick… I need you to listen to me, and to listen carefully… you promise?"

"I… I p-p-promise…" He was struggling more and more to form words, and he knew she could barely hear him through the thick plastic mask.

"This was _not_ your fault, Nick. For God's sake… you _saved_ my daughter's life. I will _never_ be able to repay you for that… _never_. You… you're undoubtedly the… the most _wonderful_ person… that I've _ever_ been given the chance to meet. You're stronger… braver than anyone I've ever known. I _know_ that there isn't another living being that could've made it as far as you did, Nick… If you hadn't… given yourself up… they would've found her… you saved her life, and that is something I can _never_ repay. So, please… _promise me_… promise me that you won't blame yourself for this… promise me that you'll give me the chance to help you… promise me…"

"I… I promise…" He whispered before he finally felt the rest of his strength give out and his eyes slowly closed as he tried desperately to cling to the image of his friend.

Catherine gave Nick's hand a final squeeze as she allowed herself to let out a deep sigh. She gently rubbed the bruises on his freed wrist. _So much has happened to you that you didn't deserve Nick… I swear I'll do whatever it takes to help you through this… no matter what it is…_

Lindsey quickly followed her mother from the room. She had only seen one other person who had been paler than him, and she had quickly left Catherine behind in the morgue. _He isn't dead though… you heard him talking… he's going to be ok…

* * *

_

"What in the hell is going on here!"

Catherine and Lindsey both jumped at the sharp yell, and Catherine sighed when she saw Nick's father heading towards them from down the hall.

"What happened to Nick? Is he alright?" He asked gruffly as his eyes tried to see into the room behind them.

"Listen, it's a long story… just let me call my mother up so she can Lindsey to go eat something…" It was all she could offer him, and her mind raced to recollect all the events that had transpired. Twenty minutes later they were both sitting alone in the hallway as Catherine started to tell him what had happened.

"Ok… this all started when my car got rammed on my way to a crime scene… Nick had the day off, so he came to see if I was ok, since he heard about the wreck on his police scanner. Afterwards, he offered to help me with a crime scene, so we were searching this old woman's house, and Nick pushed a button that released a trapdoor in the floor, and he… he fell in. By the time we managed to get the door back open, and I had jumped in to help him he was covered with bugs… Naturally, he was scared, so I had the officers lower some ropes while I flung the insects off him, and later he said he owed me. Since he wanted to do me a favor I sent him to pick up my daughter while I filed the accident report. Well… when he got to my daughter's school he saw a guy trying to kidnap her…"

"Oh God… he... saved her didn't he?"

"Y-yeah… your Honor… he saved her. He knocked the guy over, and got Lindsey into his Denali when the other man shot him in the leg just above his ankle. He managed to get into the car, but the guy shot him in the arm through the windshield. Somehow he managed to drive the car while the other guy, and some others chased him. Eventually they ran him off the road a few miles out of Vegas. His car flipped, and he managed to lift Lindsey out the passenger window before pulling himself out. Then… they… chased them for about eight miles in the woods…"

"H-how? How did he make it… so far?"

Catherine slowly shook her head as she saw how distraught the man sitting next to her was. "I… I don't know… but he did…"

"He's never known how to take care of himself… for him… everyone else comes first. W-when he was a cop… back in Dallas… Jillian would sit up with me… waiting for him to come home. He took all sorts of risks if it meant keeping his partner and other officers safe… No matter how hard we tried to get some sense into him it never worked. We even asked him to get counseling once. That was probably the first time I've ever seen him really furious. He told us that we needed to accept that it was just who he was… and now… he goes and gets himself in the middle of this…"

"He's a good man, but you're right… he doesn't worry about himself as much as he should. Then again… if he did… it's possible that I'd no longer have a daughter…" She stopped as she let the words sink in. _If he hadn't done this… I might have never had the chance to see her again… _She wiped a tear from her eye as she thought of how close she had come to losing Lindsey a second time.

"Even after everything I've seen over the years… knowing the danger he's in… seeing him suffer… it's… so hard… I can hardly stand it when he tries to hide the pain from me. I've told him that no one will think any less of him, but… he doesn't listen… I just want him to be safe."

"We all want him to be safe."

* * *

"Hello, Lily."

"Sam… I didn't expect to see you here." She replied quietly as Lindsey came from around the corner.

"Hello Lindsey. How… how are you?"

Lindsey quickly looked down and sat in the nearest chair making sure she didn't make eye contact.

"Sam… why are you here?"

"We already discussed this, Lily. I want to make things right."

"Ok. Then do it."

* * *

"Oh dear… you look so nervous…"

At any other time she would've laughed at the older woman's high pitched, stereotypical grandmother voice, but at the moment she couldn't fight off the images of her son in that coffin.

"I… that's got to be the biggest understatement of the year…" She replied revealing how shaky her normally steadfast voice was.

"Well, it's gonna be a fairly long flight… perhaps you'd like to talk about it."

"I… I don't know if I can…" Tears finally managed to fall from her eyes as she subconsciously pulled a picture of Nick from her purse and clutched it to her heart as if it would heal his wounds. _Oh Nicky… I… I need you so much…_

"So, is your son ok?"

"What… h-how did you know?"

"Well, I saw the picture you're holding… the way you're holding it… and you have a strong family resemblance…" She offered a small smile as she shifted slightly in her seat.

Jillian Stokes gawked at the woman in surprise. She slowly took in the frail woman's aged features before she slowly nodded. "I… I suppose you're right."

"Mm… He's a handsome young man. You must be proud of him…"

"I am… I've been such a nervous wreck… I'm a Public Defender… and… they told me… right in the middle of a court session… He went into a coma about… a week ago…"

"I'm so sorry…"

"I… I feel like such an idiot… this whole week… I was worrying about all sorts of little things while he was lying in a… a hospital bed… What… what kind of parent am I?"

"No one ever realizes how much they have until they think they're going to lose it. Judging by the fact that you're on your way to see him tells me that you love him. And I think that makes you a good parent to start with."

"Mrs. Stokes?"

Jillian looked up nervously at the flight attendant standing in the aisle in surprise. "Yes…"

"Um, well… your secretary called ahead, and explained your situation. So, we've arranged for you to call your husband…"

Jillian immediately nodded, and waited patiently while they gave her the needed equipment, and she sighed slightly with relief when she hear her husband pick up.

"How is he Bill? Do you know what happened?"

"I haven't actually seen him yet Jillian, but… but I got the full story…"

"Oh my God…" Jillian whispered once he had finished. "H-how could he run that far… with a bullet in his leg? It… it isn't possible…"

"I don't know dear… but… he did…"

"I… I can't believe he did all that for her…"

"I… I'm going to go in and see him, Jillian… there'll be someone waiting to pick you up at the airport to bring you over here..."

"I… I'm so scared…"

"It's going to be ok… I swear… he'll find a way through this; I know he will. It may take a while, but he'll find a way…"

"I… I hope you're right Bill…"

"I am… I… I have to be… now, I'm going to go, I love you."

"I… I love you too… and… if he… t-talks to you… tell him how much I love him…" She whispered before hanging up, and collapsing back into her seat and breaking down into tears.

"I-I'm sorry… I hate seeing bad things happen to good people… Perhaps you'd like to talk about it? I have decades of experience with listening…"

Catherine sat quietly by Nick's side when she noticed his father slowly enter the room. She sighed quietly when she noted his shocked reaction. _He looks like he's disgusted… of course if I had to see Lindsey like this I'd be sick to my stomach…_ Her grip slowly tightened on Nick's left hand as she went back to watching his pale face. _You can do it Nick… you can make it through this… I know you can…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Wow, these chapters seem to be taking longer to write, but they're coming along… Thanks for the great reviews, and I hope I got everything pretty much right in this chapter. As always, please review!

* * *

Next Chapter: Catherine talks with Sam Braun, while Nick's mother arrives at the hospital. The team does their best to help Nick recover…

* * *


	9. Hero

**

* * *

Crimson Puddles

* * *

**

Summary: Nick recovers a bit more. Meanwhile Catherine talks with Sam Braun, and the team meets a new, temporary, addition.

* * *

It had been a week since Nick had first woken up. Catherine sighed as she sat in the small room never taking her eyes off the man lying unmoving in the bed. She found it increasingly hard to sit still as she recalled the events of the past few days. She had practically asked to take all her stored up vacation time to be with Nick. _He deserves to have some here… someone to be with him… God, Nick… why didn't I ever see how good of a friend you are? No… you're not just my friend… a friend doesn't risk his life… risk everything… you're my hero Nick… you'll always be my hero…

* * *

_

Warrick softly opened the door and moved to sit across from her his hands shaking slightly by his sides.

"So… I… uh, heard his parents left today…"

"Hey, Warrick… yeah… the way they just took time off… basically disappeared… just couldn't stay any longer."

"Damn it… I…"

"What is it, Warrick?"

"I… I can't stand seeing him in the hospital, Catherine… I just can't stand it… Obviously you don't need to be told that he's the best friend anyone could _ever_ have. I think right now I'd give anything just to see him smile… to see him happy again…"

"I know… it breaks my heart to see him confined to this bed. At least he's fully awake now… no amnesia… or anything like that… and… I hope I don't jinx it, but he seems like he's going to be ok. And, if you think you can't stand seeing him like this you clearly didn't see his parents…"

"Yeah… I heard about that… I wasn't sure if I believed it when I heard his father completely broke down… being a justice of the Texas Supreme Court and all…"

"Even the strongest men cry… Hell… I would've been mad if he hadn't broken up like that. If… if Lindsey was ever… I'd be more than a mess."

"How is she holding up?"

"I think she's going to be ok. She comes to see Nick everyday, and while he doesn't say much… it helps her to know that he is getting better… even if he sleeps about twenty-three hours a day." She replied as tears formed in her eyes at the thought of Nick hoisting her daughter out of the overturned Denali, even with a bullet in his arm and leg. She could almost see the blood running from the outstretched arm that Nick might never regain the use of.

"Thank you… Catherine… I… uh… heard about what you did… heard what you did that brought him back to us…" Warrick spoke softly hoping that she could possibly explain what had happened, and trying his best to tell her how much Nick's life meant to him.

"I… I guess it's kind of hard to believe… sounds like something out of a fairy tale…" She began and felt her voice become stronger as she spoke, "Then again… Nick is almost like a character from one of those stories… the brave knight coming to the rescue… doing whatever it takes without a single thought of what it would do to them…"

"Well… even the heroes need to be rescued sometimes…" Warrick offered her a slight grin as he carefully took hold of Nick's right hand. "And you know what the funny part is? He'd deny it flat out… he'd say that anyone else would've done the same damn thing… I… I just wish I could tell him… just how freaking proud I am of him…"

"You're right…" Catherine let out a soft chuckle, "you're absolutely right… he'd deny it. I guess… I guess that's part of why we're all so proud of him… he's a _true_ hero…"

"I-it's… n-nice… t-t-to… hear y-you… laugh…"

Their attention immediately went to Nick as they heard his weak voice. Warrick could feel more tears forming as he realized how strong his best friend was trying to be.

"Hey, buddy… How are you feeling?"

"It… it hurts… so much…" Nick answered weakly as he felt the tears building up in his eyes. "Why… why… can't… I m-move?"

"Your… your body went for too long on overdrive… it could be… a long time before you can really move on your own again…" She gently placed her hand on his cheek, and she could feel her heart beginning to break when he gulped at the thought of not being able to move.

"I-I'm… so… s-s-scared…"

"Hey, you want to know something Nick? You don't have anything to worry about… I promise… no one is going to hurt you… I promise… I'll _always_ be there for you. I don't care if I'm in the middle of a court session… if I'm spending time with Lindsey… I owe you so much… I promise that I'll repay you…"

"Yeah, and you can always count on me, alright? God… you're not just my best friend, Nick… you're not even just my brother… you mean so much more than that to me. Words… they… they just can't describe it. I don't give a damn when… or where… if you _ever_ need something… _anything_… just let me know, and I swear I'll do my best to help you out…"

"I… I… don't… k-know what… to… say…" Nick answered weakly as he let out a quiet sob along with the best smile he could muster.

"You don't have to say anything; just… just know… know that I'm proud of you, buddy… you're the… greatest friend… family… that I've ever had. And, Nick… don't make me have to chew you out… just get better. Don't push it… just let it happen… you've got nothin' to prove."

He tried to give them another smile, but the effort seemed to take too much energy. He could distantly feel Catherine's soft, warm hand wipe the tears that were falling from his now closed eyes.

* * *

"Hey, Warrick, how does he look?"

"He… he looks better, Griss… he looks… alive…"

"You know… Rose Kennedy once said that 'Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them?' Do you think he can still see it? Can he still feel it?"

"I… I don't think it matters. If he can still be happy, then it's our job… our duty… to make sure he never loses it. If he can't… then it's our duty as his friends… no as his _family_, to make sure he finds it again."

Grissom stopped and looked at the other man standing beside him, and found himself wondering how he had ever managed to live without the members of his team. "You're absolutely right, Warrick. I… I'm sorry…"

"For what?" Warrick responded incredulously.

"For… for not letting you… and the others… know how proud I am of all of you… For not telling you how much I respect all of you… not saying how much each of you mean to me."

"We already know, Grissom…"

"Maybe… but sometimes you have to hear the words…"

"It's ok to be scared. We're all scared… but our fear for Nick won't help him. He doesn't need our fear… he needs our _love_…" Warrick smiled grimly before he turned and headed down the hall, and his supervisor watched him, silently wondering how he hadn't noticed just how wise his friends could be. Once the man was out of sight he carefully edged the door open.

He stopped just inside the doorway when he saw Catherine crying softly by Nick's side. Then he heard her singing gently.

"Hard times are fallin on you  
Even when you smile I see the hurt come through  
And I know it feels like its never gonna end  
You say nothins been right for a long time"

Grissom subconsciously wiped a tear from his eye as Catherine continued singing.

"And every step you take is an uphill climb  
I see your reachin out  
So let me tell you friend

Better days are comin for you  
I know you feel like  
The whole world's gone and let you down  
But better days are coming for you  
I know they will  
Cause I'll be right here making sure they do

And if your sky ain't lookin the fairest  
There ain't no reason to be embarrassed  
Ain't nobody in the world ain't felt the rain from time to time  
And just when you think its all over and done  
The nights get easier one by one  
So take my hand and hold on tight  
And soon you're gonna find

Better days are comin for you  
I know you feel like  
The whole world's gone and let you down  
But better days are coming for you  
I know they will  
Cause I'll be right here making sure they do

I know what its like  
To have to face the fight  
But I won't let you stand alone

Better days are comin for you  
I know you feel like  
The whole world's gone and let you down  
But better days are coming for you  
I know they will  
Cause I'll be right here making sure they do

Oh better days  
I know, I know, I know  
The whole worlds gone and let you down  
Better days are coming for you  
I know they will"

She gently squeezed Nick's hand, and kissed his forehead while she whispered goodbye. When she turned she nearly screamed at seeing Grissom standing in the doorway.

"That… that was beautiful…"

"I've had years of practice with Lindsey. After… Eddie died… I'd sing to her once she'd fall asleep. It… it helped to stop her nightmares… she cried less in her sleep… wouldn't wake up scared when I sung to her… I guess I just hoped it might help Nick. Let him know how much we love him. Let him know that it's going to be ok."

Grissom smiled as he felt tears falling from his eyes and catching in his beard. His eyes wandered over to Nick, and he felt slightly relieved to see that his skin wasn't nearly as pale. Though he could clearly see the man was in pain he thought he could detect a slight smile. "And yet, when I look up to the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more."

"And who are you quoting this time?"

"Anne Frank… I still can't help it… what if he never finds peace, or safety, or some type of tranquility again?"

"I… I don't think he's ever had it… except when he was just a little boy…" She froze, and bit her lip when she realized just how close she had come to betraying Nick's privacy. When her eyes met Grissom's she could see the questioning look plastered in his eyes. "Don't ask, Gil. I've already… said too much. I couldn't betray Nick by telling you… he needs to know he can trust us… now more than ever. He's… he's sleeping, but… well… I think he has some sense as to whether or not he's alone… but I have to go pick up Lindsey. I'll see you later…"

"Goodbye Catherine, and… I'm proud of you… you're one of the best criminalists I've ever met."

"It's not all me Gil. We're a team… without one of us we wouldn't be where we are today… but it does mean a lot. Just so long as you let the others know."

Gil nodded and silently took up Catherine's post by Nick, his hand softly grabbing hold of Nick's. "I'm proud of you, Nick. I'll find a way to show you… just get better…" He whispered with more tears coming to his eyes as Nick let out a low groan of pain as he slept.

* * *

"Mom… Sam… w-what are you doing here?"

"Listen, Catherine… Sam and I have been talking…"

"About what?" Catherine asked cautiously.

"Well, first, when your friend is eventually released, he's going to need a place to stay. And, I figured that you have the perfect place."

"I… I guess I haven't thought that far ahead… but you're in the guest room…"

"Actually, I'm not going to be there anymore, Cath…"

"What? And, just where _are_ you going to stay?"

"With me, actually."

"You've got to be kidding me, you're going to move in together?"

"Listen, Mugs, I know we've had our problems over the years, but I swear… I want to do right here. Besides, I love your mother… and I've always wished I had done more for her, as well as you and Lindsey…"

"I… wow, uh… I just don't know… w-what to say…"

"Then don't say anything, and… I know it could be quite some time, but when they release him… I want the bill. I… I already feel responsible for his situation, and… well, I want to help him out in any way I can."

"Ok… I just have one question for you. Why are you doing all this?"

"Because I love you, Catherine. Because I love your mother, because I love Lindsey… and I want to help your friend… because if he hadn't saved Lindsey… I would've lost _all_ of you. I'll _never_ be able to fully repay him for that, but I can do my best… please believe me, Catherine, I want to right the wrongs that I've done over the years… I want all of you to be happy…"

Catherine bit her lip as she let his words sink in. _I've never seen him like this… heard him sound like this… maybe he did change. Maybe he's telling the truth…_ "Alright… I-I'll you a chance. Just… don't let me down… don't let Lindsey down…"

"I wouldn't dream of it Catherine. You look hungry, why don't we pick up Lindsey and get something to eat?"

"Sure…"

"He… he is going to be ok, right?"

Catherine stopped in surprise at the concern in his voice. "I… I don't know… it's… it's too soon to tell…" She whispered as she felt several tears begin to fall.

"It's going to be ok, Catherine…" he replied gently as he pulled her towards him. She let out a quiet sob as he embraced her. "I'm sure he'll be able to get through this…"

* * *

Sara sat quietly with Greg as they waited for the others to show up. Sara sighed in frustration as she turned her attention towards the news. They were still all over this story, and the press was constantly asking them for any information about Nick or Lindsey. Then it hadn't taken long for the media to discover that Catherine was Sam Braun's daughter, which had brought out a whole new wave of reporters.

"This is almost the worst part of everything, isn't it Sara?"

"What do you mean?" She fired back, glad for the distraction.

"Well… I mean… seeing him with… all… a-all that b-blood… it scared the shit out of me… but I'm more terrified than I've ever been before. Just… just the thought that he could be in the hospital for… for a long time… maybe for the rest of his life…"

"Yeah… the helplessness is a real…" The sound of the door opening stopped her as they looked up to see Warrick holding the assignment slips, and standing just in front of a young man.

"Alright, you two, Grissom said he could be awhile at the hospital, so until he gets back, I'm in charge. Catherine has the next few nights off, and we've got a busy night ahead of ourselves. Oh, and this is Paul Davenport. He's a CSI two, and he'll… he'll be filling in for Nick until he can come back."

"Ok, so what are the assignments?" Sara asked suddenly finding herself irritated as her eyes scrutinized the tall blonde haired man. _It's ok, Sara… he isn't really taking Nick's place… he isn't going to replace Nick… no one can ever take that spot…_

"You three are on a 419… guy found dead in the bridal suite… pretty high profile. I'll be there as soon as I can, but I've got to wrap up a case quick with Brass, and Sofia and Vartann are waiting for you… Grissom should be back in later, so let's get going. Oh, and until Grissom gets back I'll let you take lead on this Sara."

"How was Nick when you saw him?" She questioned as he turned to head back out the door.

"He didn't say much, but he looks better… less pale anyways… he wasn't awake for too long, but he knew who we were, and responded pretty well. He's still in a lot of pain, and he's still sleeping most of the day. A nurse said that he was able to eat some food, so there is some good news…"

Sara smiled halfheartedly as she watched Warrick wearily make his way out of the room.

* * *

"So… Paul… where are you from?" Greg asked guardedly as Sara pulled out of the lab.

"Oh, I'm from Lincoln, Nebraska."

Sara forced herself not to glare at him as Greg started talking again.

"So… how old are you, and how long have you been a CSI?" He saw Sara glare at him in the rearview mirror, but decided not to comment.

"I'm twenty-nine. I've been a CSI since I was fresh out of college. I've waited a long time for the opportunity to work in a city like Vegas. I never thought I'd get the chance to work in the second best lab in the country…"

"Yeah, well don't get _too_ comfortable."

"Look, I know the circumstances that got me this job, and I'm sorry, but it wasn't my fault…"

"No, but you're… _no one_ will ever be able to replace Nick. And, when he's able to come back… don't expect your position to be permanent."

"Listen, I don't want to replace your friend, but I know how understaffed Vegas is, so I doubt they'll have much problem with keeping an extra CSI… besides, I might just prove to be a valuable asset to your team."

Sara bit her lip as she pulled up next to one of the police cruisers. "Paul, you go ahead, I've got to talk to Greg."

"So, Sara… what do you…"

Sara cut him off as soon as she made sure he was far enough away that he wouldn't hear them. "Listen, Greg… we are going to give this three hundred percent, got me? Let him know that there is a reason why we're the second best lab in this country."

"Uh… look, Sara… I know you've got issues with this guy, but he isn't going to replace Nick. No one could ever do that, and what happened to Nick isn't his fault."

"I know that Greg, but it doesn't matter. Just seeing him… it reminds me that Nick might never be able to work a crime scene again… and that makes me… it scares the hell out of me Greg. The thought that this guy could be on our team indefinitely…"

"It's ok, Sara… please… believe me, Nick will make it through this. Hell, he got through being stalked… having guns pointed at him… being… b-buried… alive…"

"Exactly, Greg… how much more can he take?"

"I… I don't know… and, if you… I trust your judgement Sara. Is this Paul guy someone we want on our team?"

"I don't know, Greg. All I know is that no one will _ever_ replace Nick."

* * *

"So, who is this _new_ guy I've heard about?"

"Paul Davenport. 29 years old, CSI 2, young, cocky…"

"Here to replace Nick… How bout I give you a fair _warning_, Warrick… Not too many people are going to take kindly to him. Nick has a hell of a lot of friends…"

"Yeah, well we didn't have a choice… Nick's going to be out for at least two months…"

"Yeah… yeah… give the poor guy my regards next time you see him. Let him know we all miss seeing him…"

"Will do, Brass. Now you ready to wrap this case up? If we leave the new guy alone with Sara for too long who knows _what_ she might do to him…"

* * *

"It… it hurts… s-so… much…"

"You're going to be ok, Nick… just give yourself time…"

"I… I can't… m-move…"

Grissom watched as Nick struggled to move, and he almost burst into tears when he saw Nick barely lift his uninjured arm a few inches before it once more fell back to the bed. There was no mistaking the sheen of sweat on his face as he used all his strength to try to move his hand once more.

"Hey… come on, Nick… just lie back… just relax… rest. Ok?"

"I… it… it's d-driving… me… crazy…"

"What is Nick?"

"It… I-itches…"

"Where?"

"S-shoulder… r-r-right…"

Grissom silently scratched the younger man's shoulder, and smiled, as Nick seemed to relax for a moment. His smile faded when he saw tears begin to fall from Nick's eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I'm… so… pathetic… I can't e-even…"

"No, Nick… you are anything _but_ pathetic. I'm proud of you… proud of who you are… proud of you as a CSI… as well as a person… you're probably the best guy I've ever met. I don't know _anyone_ that would've been as heroic as you were. You have a big heart… bigger than I thought possible. Thank you Nick… thank you for helping me. For teaching me so much about life… now just rest… ok? Just relax, and let us repay you for everything you've done for us."

"Y-you're… n-not… a-a-ashamed of… me?" He questioned weakly as his mind raced. _Hasn't he always thought I was no good? Hasn't he always been there to kick me while I'm down?_

"No. Nick… I've never been ashamed of you… and… after what you did… I admire you Nick. You have skills with people that I could never have… you understand their emotions…you care about why… not just who did it, and that's important. You're one of the smartest people I've ever met, and… I won't lie to you Nick. At times it scares me. Not because I'm afraid it'll affect how you work, but because it can get people hurt. And I hate seeing you get hurt… I hate seeing you in pain, but I… I know that deep down… it's just who you are. And I respect and admire the person you are Nick. You're… I don't know how to say it…"

"Y-you… don't… have to… s-s-say it…"

"I'm sorry this had to happen to you… you deserve the chance to… to be happy…"

"I… h-have that… c-chance… now… and… G-Griss… t-thank… y-y-y-you…" He smileduntil more pain shot through him. His mind was no longer racing and he slowly closed his eyes when he heard Grissom softly saying the lines to some song. _You're going to get better… you have to… for them…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick continues to recover as the rest of the team tries to support him.

* * *

Notes: Sorry for it taking me so long to update, but I've started another story, and I've been really busy. I have tomorrow off though, so another update shouldn't be too far away… As always, please review!

* * *


	10. Dreams and Nightmares

**Crimson Puddles

* * *

**

Catherine walked patiently behind the wheelchair, as Nick looked up weakly at the sky.

"It's hard to believe I've been in this place for three weeks now…"

"Yeah, it is. But at least you're doing better. The doctor was really surprised when you started to get your left arm moving as much as you did so quickly."

"I… I still can't really move my legs, or my right arm though…" He answered weakly, unable to hide the weariness in his voice.

"It's ok Nick. No one expects you to just magically be better. We just want you to take your time… rest, ok?"

"Yeah… so how are things back at the lab?" He whispered as he grimaced from a sharp pain from the cut where the glass had gone into his thigh.

"Are you ok? Do you want me to call a nurse?"

"No! No, this is the first time they've let me out of my bed, let alone outside. I… I don't w-want to go back yet…"

Catherine felt tears welling up, but she fought them back and merely nodded when she noted the clear desperation in his voice. "Ok, ok, you don't have to go back in yet."

"So, about the lab?" Catherine slowed them to a stop and walked around to face Nick. She hardly knew how to respond to him, but was glad when she heard relief in his voice. _I won't make you go back in until you're ready Nicky… no, Nick. You're not a kid…_

"Not that you should be _worrying_ about that, Nick, but things are going fine. Grissom has been having a few extra battles with the McKeen, but Ecklie has been really supportive. And, it seems like Vegas has been taking some time off. No one has had any really tough cases, and everyone misses you."

"What about my… err… r-replacement?"

"Nick, I want you to _really _listen to what I'm about to say, ok?"

"Ok…"

"Paul Davenport is _not_ your replacement, Nick. _No one_ could _ever_, and I mean _ever_, take your place. All he's doing is filling in for you. Like a substitute, once you're back, you're back. He might still be around, but he is _not_ a replacement for you."

"A s-substitute huh?" Nick groaned a bit as he flashed a distorted, painful grin.

"Yeah, and we all know substitutes are never as good as the person they're filling in for. Boy, you should see how Sara glares at him. They do wish they could visit more often Nick, while you're awake that is…"

"I hate being this tired…" Nicked whined carefully trying to keep himself from taking any deep breaths. _It hurts… so much…_ He slowly leaned his head back against Catherine as she pushed him once more along the path.

"Well, at least you can stay awake for a few hours at a time. It's nice being able to have real conversations with you again."

Nick smiled a bit more, and he felt the pain lessen slightly as he looked up at the sky.

"You see something up there, Nick?" Catherine questioned out of curiosity as she too looked up at the sky.

"Not really… just… freedom… peace…"

"Ah. That's why birds fascinate you isn't it? They're free too fly away…"

"I guess. At least to some extent. Did I ever tell you I took up paragliding? It felt so… liberating. It was like nothing mattered, like all my problems were gone."

"There's a lot about you that I don't know. And vice-versa."

"It's too bad."

"Yeah… it is. Well you can ask me anything at anytime, Nick, ok?"

"Hmm… sounds goods…" Catherine couldn't help but smile when she noticed how fast the other had fallen asleep. _Well, I guess that means you're ready to go back inside. You're going to be ok. I know it._

"Ah, Miss Willows, I see he's exhausted…"

"Yeah, he just…"

"Fell asleep without warning? Don't worry that's to be expected. Mentally he's ready for anything, but his body just isn't ready. Now we've had our psychiatrist meet with him a few times. He said Nick didn't talk much about what happened to him, and we don't want to push him emotionally right now."

"It broke my heart having to push him around in that wheelchair. I can't even begin to comprehend what it would be like to be _in _it."

"It won't be easy, but take my word for it, I've seen a lot of people over the years. He's got a lot of good friends, and I can see how much he trusts you. Besides our physical therapist is really good at his job."

"Yeah. Oh, and, uh, he was in quite a bit of pain earlier. He won't say anything, but it was pretty bad."

"Ok, we'll check it out, and maybe up his medications a bit. He's in good hands."

"Thanks for everything." Catherine whispered as she watched the doctor wheel Nick back into his room. _Sleep well Nick. I'll see you tomorrow.

* * *

_

Sara walked past the break room and bit her lip when she heard several people laughing. Without hesitating she slammed the door open to see Warrick slapping Paul on the back while Greg, Mia, and Archie cracked up laughing.

"Warrick, we've got to go. After all, we _are_ still on the clock."

"Speaking of clocks, why don't you come and have a few drinks with us after shift, Sara?" Paul offered amiably.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I have plans."

"Oh really? Got a date?" He quipped softly, trying to coax at least smile from her. _I wish she didn't hate me. It's not like I've done anything to her._

"I'm going to go visit Nick at the hospital actually. Catherine said he was pretty down when she was with him. But at least they let her push him around the courtyard for awhile. Oh, and that reminds me, Greg, when you see Grissom tell him I had to leave a little early. I wanted to pick up something to try to lift his spirits." She offered him a slight smile before turning and heading back out the door beginning to feel slightly guilty about the harsh, criticizing tone she had taken with them.

* * *

"Hey, Doc, can I see him?"

"Ah, Detective Brass right?"

"Yeah, I'm kinda on break, so I don't have much time."

"Well, he's asleep right now, and we've just given him some medication, but by all means you can head on in for a little bit."

Brass nodded before entering the small room. He felt his stomach tighten when he saw Nick lying in the barely lit room. His shoes clicked quietly on the tiled floor as he took the seat Catherine had left positioned by the head of the bed. Unsure of what he was doing there he simply watched the others chest as it moved slightly with his shallow breath.

* * *

_His screams echoed in his ears as he felt the glass walls rising up around in once more. They were closing in, but all he could focus on was the little girl standing just beyond looking at him in horror. Then he could see the figures in black moving closer. He heard his own voice screaming for Lindsey to run, but she didn't move. Then Catherine was right beside them. He closed his eyes as the first of the men reached her and he could hear Lindsey's sobs until the only sound was his own screaming. When he next opened his eyes he was still screaming. Catherine and Lindsey were lying on the ground. And then he could see them surrounding him. Their arms pushing the glass walls into him. He felt the hands pushing down on his shoulders.

* * *

_

Brass felt his stomach tighten when Nick to shake. Seeing his head shaking 'no' he could've sworn he had tears falling from his eyes. He was fighting the sick feeling in his stomach when Nick started crying out incomprehensible noises.

"Come on, Kid… it's ok… wake up. It's just a nightmare. You're ok, you're safe." Brass whispered, trying to gently bring him out from whatever hell he was going through.

* * *

"Hey, Catherine, how was Nick doing?"

"Well, I was able to push him around the courtyard a bit. He was still pretty exhausted, and he's kind of been down. I mean he's trying to see the bright side of things, but, well, he's just having a hard time doing that."

"Having friends like you will help." Grissom answered her firmly.

"Thanks, but that doesn't mean it'll be enough."

"I know, I'll never be as good of a friend, but I'm heading over a little while after shift to see him. Actually, Brass ran over now while he was on break."

* * *

"Come on, Sara, just tell me. What's your problem with Paul? He's a nice guy, and a pretty damned good CSI."

"Who is _trying_ to replace Nick!" She snapped back irritably.

"Jesus, Sara… _replace_ Nick? Don't tell me that's what you _really_ think?"

"Show me the evidence that says otherwise. He's filling in for Nick, he wants a permanent spot on our team, come on, isn't it _obvious_, Warrick?"

"Oh _please_…"

"How long has it been since you've seen him?"

"_What_?"

"You heard me."

"You're kidding right?"

"Am I _laughing_, Warrick?" She chided viciously, "When was the last time you saw Nick at the hospital?"

"I… I d-don't know. The day before yesterday." Warrick answered in confusion.

"You. You and even _Greg_, both of you. You've only seen Nick a few times these past weeks since he showed up. You all went out yesterday, and now again today, and you only drop in to see Nick a few times. And when you do see him, it isn't for long."

"I'd better call Grissom. I need to get off work an hour early." Warrick answered in a voice she had heard only once. The guilt struck her deeply when she remembered how crushed he had been at seeing Nick in his coffin. _And now I've just made him feel more guilty… good job, why don't you see how many people you can hurt in one night._

"Warrick, don't. I-I'm sorry. I never should've said that. I know you care about Nick; I know you guys are best friends."

"No Sara. You were right to say those… things to me. It's just that… I hate seeing him like that. I hate seeing him barely able to lift his own arm. And then I hate _myself_ for hating that. Just gets so hard to bear, and I can hardly do it anymore. I guess… I let myself go with Paul, because he's so much like Nick. Just younger, and not quite as… well I don't know."

"Yeah, I know. I think that was part of why I couldn't stand him. He's like the over friendly version of Nick." She let herself smile as Warrick chuckled. She grabbed his hand and let out a chuckle of her own as she shook her head.

"Yeah, and Nick is friendly enough. I need to see him more, and thank you for reminding me of that. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I just abandoned him when he needs us all most."

* * *

"Hello, Jimmy, it's been a while."

"Annie? What are you doing out here?"

"I was getting a little sick of Hollywood. Had plenty of time stored up, so I decided to check up on an old friend."

"Yeah. Well, I certainly _feel_ old right now."

"What happened to your friend in there?"

Brass sighed, giving her a slight smile. "You know something? Just when I thought there wasn't a single self sacrificing human left… he goes and proves me wrong."

"Hmm. That must be hard. I know how much you hate to be proved wrong. What did he do?"

"He saved a little girl from being kidnapped; ended up getting shot twice, but he managed to run for several miles with a bullet in his leg."

"Damn. I didn't think there were still heroes out there. Huh. I guess life still has a few surprises left for all of us."

"I need him to get better. He's just a kid, himself. He's too young to have to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair."

"Well, I don't want to spread false hope, but maybe life will throw him another surprise."

"Yeah, right. The last surprise he had before this was being buried alive."

She bit her lip, uncertain of how to react to the last statement. "People's luck changes everyday."

"Yeah, well I need to get back to work, I've got some people waiting for me."

"Mind if I tag along? You look like you could use some company."

* * *

"Hey Brass, how is he?" Warrick called as soon as he stepped out of his car.

"He's been better. He was having a nightmare, and once I woke him up the nurse came in and gave him some medications, so he was out like a light."

"You remember Annie Kramer?" Brass responded dryly as she stepped out of the passenger side door.

"Yeah, from LA… what are you doing out here?"

"I needed a break."

"Yeah, well she's here to help out, so, Annie, this is Sara Sidle, Sara, Annie Kramer."

"Hello. So, Nick wasn't doing too good?"

"I don't know, all I saw was him having a nightmare…"

"Yeah, well, if we want to see him later, we'd better get busy." Warrick offered softly before they all headed towards the crime scene.

* * *

"Come on, Lily, I know what you said, but I have to talk to him."

"Sam, he's going through hell knows what; he needs rest…"

"I promise I won't do anything to upset him. I just need to talk to him." He answered with a firmness in his voice that was supposed to put an end to the discussion.

"Alright, but if it doesn't go well, don't worry about answering to me. Catherine will do the job well enough for ten of me."

"W-who…"

"Ah… we've never really been introduced. Mr. Stokes… I'm…"

"B-Braun. W-what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to offer you my help, and present you a little offer."

"W-what do you mean?"

"Listen, it's nothing you have to worry about. But, if you _ever_, and I mean _ever_, need help, well, I'll be right there for you. Be it financially, or emotionally…"

"W-w-why?"

"I thought that would be obvious, Mr. Stokes. You saved more than my granddaughter's life. You saved Catherine as well, not to mention her mother, and there is nothing I can do to fully repay that debt. Now, how are you feeling?"

"How would you be feeling if you'd just had to be fed like a little kid?" Nick shot back slowly, as he tried to keep his remaining strength up.

"I guess that's fair. I-I'm so sorry, I never… you deserve to get another chance at life; now, Lindsay is waiting for me. Just… give me a call if you ever need something… anything at all."

Nick fell back against the soft pillows in defeat as his faltering strength finally gave out.

"Why?"

He slowly turned back around to face Nick. Seeing the younger man lying back, with his shoulders slumped, and tears falling from his eyes made his heart break. _The poor kid. He deserves better after everything he's done._

"I-I j-just wanted to help her… I didn't mean to screw up…" Nick went silent as he felt his voice crack. _Why am I telling him this? How in the world is he supposed to help me?_

"This may not mean much, coming from me, but you weren't the one who screwed up. None of this ever should have happened, unfortunately we can't change the past. We can't go back and fix our mistakes. Now, you don't have to be 'strong', Mr. Stokes; whatever you're holding back… just let it go. You're a good man. The best thing you can do for anyone is to get better."

* * *

"You ok, Catherine?"

"Did you see how sweet that little boy was, Gil? And that woman… she abused him in the worst way possible! He was only _eleven_ for God's sake."

"And his mother killed _her_ out of revenge."

"How can they press charges? I know I would've done the _exact_ _same thing_."

"This isn't just about Lindsay, is it." Catherine looked back up at him. She could tell it hadn't been a question.

"It's just that… when I saw that boy crying, and all alone… I just kept seeing Nick…"

"How old was Nick when he was… m-molested?"

Catherine carefully wiped a few tears from her eyes before looking back at her supervisor, and she was surprised to see tears building up in his own eyes. "He was only nine. How badly did I give it away?"

"You hid it surprisingly well. But, after a while it just seemed to fit."

"Yeah. I guess it helped make him the hero that he is, and… don't tell him you know, Gil. Let him come to you if he wants to talk about it."

"You can count on me. I-I just wonder… what else has he buried over the years? What else is he hiding?" He sighed in frustration. "Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need. I don't think I've ever seen anyone with both, or either, of those traits before. I guess Khalil Gibran knew a lot more about people than I ever will."

"He was willing to give more than his life, but he can't even accept our help."

* * *

"Hey, Greg." He sighed, unsure of how to go about asking the next question.

"Hey." He answered gloomily. "You know, it wasn't always like this. We actually used to laugh. We'd smile, and be able to enjoy each other's company."

"Yeah, uh… I know this may seem awkward, but what all has uh… Nick… Stokes, been through?" He bit his lip while waiting nervously for a response.

"Too much. He moved here several years ago, and I guess it started with him getting a gun shoved in his face. Not too mention that it happened pretty recently after another CSI had been shot at a crime scene. She didn't make it, but he got lucky, and didn't get hurt. The next year this creep stalked him, and threw him out a second story window. That came to an end after he had his stalker put another gun in his face…"

"Damn, I can't even imagine…"

"But you don't get it, that's not anywhere near the end. Last year he was abducted and buried alive for almost twenty-four hours. As if that wasn't bad enough the Plexiglas walls started to give way, and a bunch of fire ants started to eat him alive for a few hours before we found him. Of course, then there's this… he fell through a trapdoor into some dark hole full of bugs, and Catherine helped him. He went to go pick up Lindsay as a favor, and in return saved her from being kidnapped after getting shot twice…"

"I guess that would explain why they can't stand me."

"Just give them time… and don't let them think you're here to replace him. Because, if you are, well, this'll be nothing compared to what they'd do."

"What _would_ they do?"

"I dunno, but if you think they don't like you now, they'd _really _hate you. Heck, if you _are_ here to take Nick's place then _I'd_ hate you…"

"I-I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

"Hey… Hodges…"

"Hey Nick. How have you been holding up?"

"N-not too good. I-I'm so scared… what am I supposed to do if I'm confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life? I-it's not like I'd be able to process much of anything…" The bluntness of Nick's statement made him suddenly uncertain of what to do. He had never seen this broken down before, and it scared him more than anything ever had before.

"Life isn't worth living if it's only for a job. You think any of us could make it in that lab without family and friends to help? You have a loving family, Nick, and wonderful friends who would do anything for you. None of us will abandon you if you're confined to a wheelchair. You're our friend, Nick, we care about you, and no matter what happens we'll be here to help you. No matter what…"

"Yeah… Do you have any _idea_ what it's like to always be the one who needs _help_? I-it's just not f-fair. I've _never_ asked for any of this, but it still always seems to happen to me…"

"Hey now, don't be this hard on yourself, Nick. We all need help from time to time, but that's why we've got friends. It doesn't matter who needs help, and when, or how often, they need it. Don't ever be afraid to come to us for help." He stopped as he took in the tears falling along the other's face. He had never seen him look so lost, and he bit his lip to stop himself from letting out the sob and it took him all his strength to fight off the tears building up steadily.

"T-thanks… I guess. Y-you busy for the n-next hour?"

"No, Mia is covering for me, so I have plenty of time… you want something?"

"I… I j-just don't want to be alone…"

Hodges nodded, but stopped when he saw Nick's gaze drift over to the wheelchair and then towards the window that looked out into the courtyard. "You want to get out of this room for a while? It's a bit stuffy in here…"

"Y-you wouldn't m-m-mind?"

"A few years ago, probably, but like you've told me before… I'm coming around. And, if you want some fresh air, I'd be more than happy to help you out." He offered a weak smile before he stepped out of the room quickly and Nick watched him talking with a nurse.

He came back in, and offered another small smile before gingerly helping Nick out of the bed, and He bit his tongue to keep in the grunt. _I'd carry you the whole way if I had to…_ He couldn't help the sigh of relief as Nick's weight was lifted from him once he was in his wheelchair. Several minutes later they were walking through the courtyard in the dying light of the sun.

* * *

"Hey, Gil, I know this is a bad time, but the key CSI is opening back up. McKeen wants a recommendation ASAP…"

Grissom froze as the words registered. _He can't be serious… who in the hell am I supposed to choose? Nick… he deserves it, and while it may take some time for him to get back I know he's the best guy for the job…_

"Actually, I'd like to stick with my prior choice. McKeen can wait for the position to be filled, can't he?"

"I'll talk to him, and see if he'll accept your recommendation. J-just don't hold your breath, Gil. He hasn't exactly been understanding about anything that's happened to Nick. I swear I could deck him sometimes… telling us to prepare for a flipping funeral…"

"What?" He asked as he heard Ecklie whisper the last part.

"Huh? Oh… I'm sorry, but yeah, that's what he told us… take care of him Gil; make sure he gets better. He's a good man, and one hell of a CSI… I'll do my best to see that this spot is held open for him. You have my word."

Grissom smiled thoughtfully. _I guess traumatic experiences change everyone, but this is one change I'll gladly accept. In fact, I've never seen him acting this way. It's like he doesn't care about kissing up to others. He's actually concerned about the people that work for him. Just goes to show you… good things can come from the worst disasters… _He stopped walking, and bit his lip as he thought of Nick lying in his hospital bed. _You're going to walk again, you have to… I know you will. If anyone can, it'll be you…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Sara and Warrick visit Nick. Meanwhile, Grissom and Catherine talk even more, and Brass has dinner with Annie before making a decision to seek out another person he hopes to help. Greg talks with Hodges about his visit to Nick.

* * *

Notes: Wow, sorry this took so LONG to update... I was gone friday through tuesday though, so I guess it wasn't the writing that took quite so long. Hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I hope to be able to update fairly soon. I'm also thinking that this story is only going to have a few more chapters, and it's almost done. I always look forward to reading your thoughts, and thanks for all the reviews so far!

* * *


	11. Whenever You're Ready

**Crimson Puddles

* * *

**

"You going to tell me what you got him?"

"Nah… I think you deserve to be just as surprised." She flashed him one of a very few genuine smiles, and Warrick couldn't help but chuckle. "What's so funny?" Sara asked, now staring at him in complete confusion.

"Nothing… It's just that, well, that has got to be one of the few real smiles I've seen from you for quite a while."

"Yeah, I guess it is." She let out a sharp laugh, "Thank you. I'm not sure I could do this alone."

"Do what?"

"Face him. I've been freaking out about this for the last week, and I spent the two weeks before looking for this." She finished nodding towards the box on her lap. "I just don't know what to expect from him anymore…"

* * *

"Go find her, Jimmy. It's what you have to to do; I understand. And good luck."

"Thanks, Annie, i-it means alot." Brass smiled awkwardly as they continued their meal. _This is it, I'm really going to go and find her, I just hope she listens to me..._

* * *

"Hey, McKeen."

"Ah, what can I do for you Brass?"

"I… I need a few days off."

"Oh, what for? We're already on a limited amount of staff, even with your friend Annie Kramer getting her transfer here to Vegas approved."

"Hmm. I didn't know about that, but, well, I've got some unfinished business in Hollywood."

"What kind of business? The last time you said that you went off chasing some crook…"

"This time it really is a family matter; my daughter."

* * *

"So, I heard Ecklie is having a bit of a spar with the Undersheriff."

"Don't you think that's a bit of an understatement there, Catherine?" Grissom smiled halfheartedly from behind his desk.

"Yeah, I'll say. Well, uh… I just have to wrap up some paperwork here, and Sofia is taking the mother down to the station."

"Ok, thanks for letting me know. Oh, and Catherine?" He waited for her to turn back around before finishing, "You did a good job."

"Thanks, and… I'm proud of you."

"For what?" He asked in confusion. _She must just mean the case._

"For standing up for Nick. He does deserve that promotion more than anyone else in this lab, and it's _nice_ seeing everyone supporting him not just because he's a victim, but because you know he's capable." Her voice faltered by the time she finished, and Grissom immediately hurried over to her.

"What's wrong, Catherine? You can tell me…" He pushed gently, not expecting the sudden outburst of emotions from his colleague.

"It should have been _me_, Gil! Lindsay is _my_ daughter; I shouldn't need someone else to take care of her. He shouldn't have even been in that damn house to begin with! If I would've paid more attention, or if I would've been more careful and not gotten in the car accident he wouldn't have even left home…"

"Listen, I know it's gotta be hard on you, but Nick is a grown man. He chose to go that far to save Lindsay. We both know there isn't anyone else on this team, except _maybe_ Warrick, that could've gotten that far. There's too many variables to even hypothesize what would've happened if any of us had been put in the situation…"

"Hey, you two, I uh, found something you might be interested in."

"Hey Bobby, what is it?"

"Well, I was kind of curious when I saw that there were shell casings and bullets in the truck that rammed you, Catherine, and I checked them against the bullets in Nick's Denali. Perfect match; the two events are connected."

"Check them with the casings of the guns collected, and put the reports on my desk, so that we can get this fully wrapped up."

"Sure thing… I hate working on cases like these, oh and, I uh, couldn't match the bullets taken from Nick's arms and leg to any of the weapons we collected."

"We need to make sure everyone working for Donovan is accounted for. I'll be down in the A/V Lab checking up on some files. Why don't you head home early, Cath? You should spend some more time with Lindsay anyway. She's gotta be scared still, and besides, there isn't much going on here right now."

"Uh, ok. I-I'll see you later then, I just want to go pick up some test results."

"Oh, hey Hodges," She had barely started when she noticed his shoulders were slumped and he was shaking slightly, "W-what's wrong?"

"I-I just went t-t-to see Nick." He took in a deep breath before making himself continue, "It was so hard… s-seeing him like that. H-he was so desperate to get out of that room; I-I spent a half-hour wheeling him around the courtyard before he fell asleep. I-it was so weird, just seeing him beaten down like that. It pissed me off; he's always been so strong, you know? It just freaking _pisses me off_ to think that someone might've pushed him so far over the edge of a cliff that he didn't even get the chance to grab that single tree branch."

"He'll be ok, just give him time." Catherine whispered softly with tears brimming, and just waiting to fall, "Just give him time."

* * *

"Grissom."

"Ah, hello, this is Dr. Hawkes."

"Hello, uh, is there something you needed?"

"Well, Nick has been up more recently, and he's even been outside twice as of now. Anyway, I was just calling to make sure there was some type of setup planned for when he's released. It's still too soon to know when he'll be released, but he's looking pretty good, so I think he has a pretty good chance of walking again, and maybe even regaining full use of both limb after enough time. Which is why I'm really calling. Physically he is getting better, but we're rather concerned about the psychological repercussions of what happened."

"Yeah, I'll talk to some of the others here about it, and we'll make sure everything is ready."

"Good, because, I've had my share of psychological classes, not to mention personal experience, and I strongly believe that the sooner he's out of the hospital the better. I'm thinking it'll be at _least_ a few more weeks before we can start actually coming up with some tangible results though… he could be in the hospital for a few months."

* * *

"Warrick…" Nick whispered just loud enough to get his attention. When they had entered he had been asleep, so they had both agreed to wait for him to wake, and now that he had, Sara had gone to talk to the doctor.

"Hey, buddy, you want something?" He asked as soothingly as possible.

"Yeah… want to… get out of this damn hospital."

"Yeah, I guess I should've seen that one coming, but, cheer up, I promise I'll _at least_ stop by everyday now, and that we'll get you out of here ASAP, okay?"

"Guess I don't h-have much of a choice, do I?" Nick responded as he looked away. Warrick could see his eyes were glistening, and the subtle increased speed of his breathing worried him.

"You're gonna be ok, I swear, you're gonna be ok." Warrick whispered as soothingly as he could while he clung to Nick's left hand. After several minutes of repeating the same phrase he started to wonder if it was more to comfort himself or Nick. It wasn't until Sara appeared in the doorway carrying a much larger box that made either one move. Without hesitation Warrick took the large box and set it down, and catching a smile on Sara's face along with a wink he decided to hold off on the questions.

* * *

"You really ought to pay more attention to the news around the lab." Hodges smiled brightly as he approached Grissom. He could hardly believe what he had just overheard, but it also made him extremely happy. _Things are getting better..._

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for one thing, I got to witness the Sheriff ripping McKeen a new one. Said that 'Nick Stokes was a hero, and that he deserved to be treated with more respect than some lowlife scum.' Then McKeen started to get a bit defensive when the Sheriff ensured that if both you and Ecklie were recommending Nick, then he sure as hell better have the position waiting for him when he gets back."

Grissom stared at him speechless. Something about Hodges' smile was different as well. Then it hit him, he was happy for Nick finally having some good news. "I guess I'll call Catherine and tell her the good news." Then he stopped, his eyes suddenly watered. _We're getting ahead of ourselves… he might not even be able to come back…

* * *

_

"Believe it or not, Nick, but I managed to round up some stuff for you. Thought it might make this room a bit more comfortable. Grabbed some of your pictures from your place, along with a few of your bird books, and then there's this." She offered, smiling kindly as she handed him the small, wrapped box. Warrick felt himself start to smile at the look of curiosity and the bit of happiness on Nick's face. He carefully watched the other man open the box and hold out a small, simple key.

"What's it for?"

"Well, my friend, Catherine told me about how you like to paraglide every once in a while, so I got you a locker at this one place, where you can store your very own set of wings. This is of course from Catherine, and Griss pitched in too. We've got two more set aside if Warrick and Greg ever get interested, but I've got the feeling they're too scared." Sara prodded gently. Sensing the chance to lift Nick's spirits he smiled, and took the bait.

"Now, that's a low blow, Sara. Tell her, Nick…"

"Well… you were pretty hesitant when we were working that case a few years back. You seemed pretty doubtful when I said it'd be fun..." Warrick was about to add something when a gentle jab from Sara's elbow in his arm stopped him.

"He's asleep." She whispered as he slowly looked back over to his best friend only to see him slumped back against his pillows with his eyes closed peacefully, and a slight smile still on his face. "It worked, at least for now. Just hope I don't have to 'bribe' him too much… well, I'm gonna go catch some sleep before shift, or do you want to grab something to eat?"

"Nah… I think I'm gonna stay here for a bit, you know, watch him for a while, make sure he doesn't have any nightmares."

"Ok, well, maybe I'll stop in later, but otherwise I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah, oh, and thanks Sara. Thanks for not letting me take the easy way out… we both needed this a lot more than I realized."

"No problem, and maybe I'll give Greg a call, let him know that Nick seems to be doing a lot better, and that we got him to laugh for the first time in the last month."

* * *

"Hey, baby, what's wrong?" Catherine immediately asked as she gently pulled her crying daughter into a tight hug.

"I… I had a nightmare. I dreamt that Nick di-didn't make it, and that we w-were stuck in th-the car. He was so s-scared, Mom. I've never seen anyone that scared. And, he… he was crying when he made me promise to keep going no matter what…"

"Of course he was scared, sweetheart. But the important thing is that he managed to do what he needed to even though he was afraid. See, Lindsay, bravery and courage… it isn't people who aren't afraid. The people who are _really_ brave and courageous are the ones that take risks when they're afraid and scared. It doesn't that Nick was scared, what matters is that he still did as much as he could to keep you safe, and he did just that."

"But… why? He didn't care that he could've died, and it just doesn't make sense…"

Catherine nodded solemnly before answering, "Well, sweetie, sometimes people make decisions that don't benefit them. Nick… well, he knew how much you meant to me, as well as to him, so he did everything he could to keep you safe, he was willing to save you from the pain he's already suffered."

"Yeah, but _why_? Daddy never did anything like that…"

"No, he didn't, but he should have. Linds, there are certain things that we can't really explain in life, and _why_ he risked his life to save you… well that's one of them. Just know that he cared that much about you, about us, and that he felt that it was, in a way, his duty to help you. He was the one there, no one else, and he did what he felt was right. Kind of like that time when you were really little, and Nick was giving you a piggyback ride when your dad showed up drunk."

"And Nick f-forced him to l-l-leave…"

"Yeah. You see, Nick is the kind of guy that hates to see others in pain. He loves helping people, and he never backs down from doing the right thing, or, if he does, he feels more guilty than you could even begin to comprehend. I know it may be hard to understand; you haven't really met anyone like him. Warrick is pretty much the same way, I _try_ to be, but some people have more to think about, like family, their lives. Nick is ready to give that up, while, people like me, aren't as willing because we love people, like you, as much as we do."

"I guess I k-kinda understand. I just can't help but think that its my fault…"

"Oh, baby, it _is not_ your fault. It's not even Nick's fault. The fault belongs to the men who did this to you. They were the ones who made the decisions to try to hurt you, and that hurt Nick."

"Will he be able to walk again?"

"The doctors think it's a good possibility, and I'm sure he'll pull through this. And, since you're done with your school stuff, maybe we should go visit him." Without warning her cell phone went off, she bit her lip and almost turned it off until she noticed it was Sara.

"Hey, Catherine. I was just calling to let you know that Nick seems to be doing a lot better. Warrick and I managed to get him to really laugh for a little bit before he fell asleep. God, it was so nice seeing even that small bit of a smile on his face… Anyway, I just thought you'd like to know. He moved around more than he has before, so I think that's a good sign. Warrick is still sitting with him, and I just finished calling Grissom, Greg is next on my list."

"Ok, thanks, that's… _really_ good to know, we were just going to go see him."

* * *

Catherine made sure she was the first to enter the room, and stopped when she saw Nick lying silently in his bed with his eyes closed. She gently bit her lip and started to turn to leave when she heard a quiet whimper. She sighed before going back into the hallway to face Lindsay and her mother.

"Is he awake? Can we see him?" Lindsay asked delicately as she took note of the look on her mother's face.

"Listen honey, I'm not sure if he's awake, but if he is then he's in a lot of pain, and if not, then he's in the middle of a really bad nightmare. I-I'm going to go in for a bit, but I want you to stay out here, and wait for me, ok? I'm so sorry, but I'm not sure you'll be able to… to uh, see him today…"

"But you prom-"

"I know, sweetie, but Nick is in _really_ bad shape, and I'm not sure he'd want you to see him l-like this. Please, this is going to be hard for everyone, but _please_ trust me Lindsay."

"Okay, okay." Lindsay repeated quietly as she watched her mother turn to go back into the room before she decided to add, "I love you."

Catherine smiled, and moved back to give her daughter a quick kiss on her forehead, "I love you too… more than you'll ever know." She offered another weak smile and turned to go back into the room; trying to brace herself for what she suspected was going to be the most difficult situation she'd ever face in her entire life.

* * *

Warrick wasn't sure how long he sat, staring idly at the massive TV that was currently off. He wiped the salty water from his eyes as he fumbled with his wallet. It held only the essential items, and the carefully opened a single flap that allowed two items to fall into his open palm. Tears started to fall once more as he fingered the quarter idly, choosing to focus more intently on the picture of him sitting on a long bench with Nick at one of the yearly softball games. _You're going to be ok… you're gonna be fine… I know it…

* * *

_

"That was a great thing you did today, Sara. I-I'm proud of you. You made a nearly broken man smile and laugh today; you should be-"

"Be what, Griss? _Happy_? No. No, it doesn't work that way. See, he has to _suffer_ with the possibilities of what he may _never_ be able to do again. I just want to know. I _hate_ not knowing how he's going to come of all of this. I hate this waiting, I hate knowing that he's still going through a living hell…"

* * *

"So why did you really take this job, Paul?"

"Well, this is _Vegas_. For one, it has the second best crime lab in the country, and plus, there's never a dull moment."

"Yeah, never a dull moment. I wish there was, though. I mean a few years ago I'd have been right on board, saying you were right, saying how great it is to have the constant excitement right at your fingertips. But… well now, I'd say it sucks. We encounter all sorts of people in our job. Criminals, bystanders, and victims… you just don't realize how hard the victims have it until you're either one yourself, or someone close to you is. I-I guess what I'm trying to say is that, seeing Nick go through hell has really shaken me up… I get so scared to say anything too… because I'm afraid I might be the one to push him over the edge. I don't want to be the final straw that makes him explode, or shatter, or whatever the hell is going to happen."

"You know something, Greg? You have to stop for a minute and _think_. You can't let him try to deal with this alone. If you get burned from your efforts then so what? He's the one who is really suffering here. You gotta stop treating him like glass; treat like you would on any other day, and then I bet you'll see him being a lot happier than he's been in a _long_ time. Meanwhile, you work your hardest to cut off the gossip in the lab. I can help with that, because I promise you the last thing he wants is to be the center of everyone's attention."

"Yeah, but, with all due respect, you have _no_ idea how hardthat isgonna be." They sat in an awkward silence as they stared vacantly at the glasses in front of them. Greg's final comment lingered in the air, silently contemplating what was going to happen next.

* * *

Her shoes clicked on the tile floor as she walked up to the bed. Catherine frowned as she watched Nick trembling with his eyes closed tight. His tears mixed with the sweat on his face, and she bit her lip as he let out another whimper.

"Nick… come on, Nick, you have to wake up now… come on, it's ok. It isn't real; you're going to be ok. I promise… just wake up." She gently shook his shoulder, her voice becoming more desperate as his whimpering grew worse. Nothing prepared her for seeing his eyes open wide with a final whimper that was even more unbearable than the others. His breathing quickened and she grabbed his left hand, hoping she could find a way to help him.

After several minutes Nick started to regain some control of himself. The sickening images of his nightmare were beginning to fade, though he knew he would never forget it. His eyes focused briefly on Catherine, but he quickly looked away, unable to really look at her. _Just great, you're breaking up in front of everyone… it'll be a miracle if you ever have someone respect you again. I'm sure I'll have plenty of gossip… the talking about me, the damn looks of pity, and the constant supervision. That ought to be great going back to; that is, if you ever go back. You stupid, useless moron… Go figure, only I could screw up my life like this. At least she's ok, she'll probably be scared for the rest of her life, and you let it happen, hell you made it worse…_

"Hey." She waited for a few moments for him to reply, and when he didn't she held back a sigh of disappointment. Instead she rose and sat by his side on the bed. Without a word she gingerly helped him sit up, and she pulled him into a tight hug. It took her a few minutes of having the younger man crying into her shoulder to realize that she wasn't crying anymore. "You're going to get better, Nick. Just let it all out. I'm here for you, I'll always be there for you."

"Y-you d-don't hate me?"

The weak voice nearly made her cringe, but it was the words that really started to frighten her. A new wave of pain surged through her as she felt Nick's chest move in and out rapidly as he tried to breathe through his sobs. "Y-you saved my daughter, Nick, I could _never_ hate you. I've never hated you, either. You're like my family, a brother that I've never really had, and you were so amazing. I don't know anyone who would've gone through all of this for someone else." Catherine stopped and gave Nick a gentle squeeze with her arms, it pained her to realize Nick couldn't even raise his right arm, and his left arm was weakly clinging to the back of her shirt to keep it in place.

"I-I think we should h-have that talk n-now."

"Whenever you're ready, Nick. Whenever you're ready…" Catherine answered and braced herself for what would most likely be the hardest conversation she'd ever faced or _would _ever face in her entire life. "Whenever you're ready, I'll be right here for you."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Sorry this took so long to post, but over the last three weeks I've been gone for a total of 11 days. Thus, writing and getting the chance to post, while keeping up with school was essentially impossible. But, I am going to have a lot more time on my hands after this weekend, so I should be able to update and post a bit more often. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you take the time to review!

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick and Catherine have their conversation. Meanwhile, the rest of the team begins their task of making sure Nick doesn't have a hard time coming back to the lab.

* * *


	12. Dependable

**Crimson Puddles

* * *

**

"I think I'm broken, Catherine. I-I just d-don't know what to do anymore."

"You don't have to know what to do, Nick."

"Yeah, that's _easy_ for you to say. _I just can't do it_…"

"Do what?" Catherine questioned, silently praying that he would open up; she just wasn't sure how bad the situation really was. A sinking suspicion in her gut told her that this would undoubtedly get ugly soon. _Then deal with. He needs help, and you're the one he needs right now, so just get over your fear of really finding out how bad this problem is, and help him. Just focus on what's important…_

"I can't get past any of it. I-I can hardly even remember the last time I've f-f-fallen asleep and n-not had n-nightmares, and I'm t-talking a-about _years_."

"W-why didn't you say anything?"

"Yeah, and have everyone treat me like I might break at any moment? Just let them all know that I'm just another incompetent, useless failure?"

Catherine was beyond speechless. She found herself automatically replaying various conversations she had had with the younger man who was still clinging to her. Thoughts were flying haphazardly through her mind as she felt her shirt begin to dampen. _We'll never even know how hard any of this has been for you. We'll never understand how you managed to keep your cool on so many cases, how you managed to hide it from us…_

No matter how hard he tried he couldn't make the tears stop. His mind told him to let her go, to stop being a baby and to move on, but his arms wouldn't listen. _Great, now she'll know just how pathetic you are. Why can't I just get over this stuff like everyone else? I just want it to be over…_ He waited for her to say something, anything, but he was only greeted by the sound of her unsteady, nervous breathing. _I was right; she would've said something by now if I had been wrong…_

"I tried so _hard_ to _move on_, but I can't. I've been so close to dying so often that I'm afraid of almost everything. The dark, bright lights, enclosed spaces, open spaces, being alone, being with people… I just _can't_ _do it_. I'm sick of life not making the slightest bit of sense, I'm sick of the guilt that other people have been hurt and killed because I didn't do something about it. How many other little boys had to go through hell because _I _was too _scared _to say anything? How many people died because I made another mistake?"

"_No one_ has died because of you Nick. _No _little boys got hurt because you didn't speak up. I won't say no one got hurt or that no one died because I know better, but it is _not_ your fault. You didn't kill Jane Galloway, you didn't molest any kids, and you didn't kill Morris Pearson. It wasn't your choice, Nick. Nigel Crane killed those people, that damn babysitter hurt you, and _maybe_ someone else. Walter Gordon and his daughter killed themselves, you _never_ did that to them. You don't have to live in guilt, Nick; just let us help you."

"I-I don't know _how_."

"We don't have to know how, Nick. Trust me, it'll happen; I'll make sure it happens."

"Th-thanks, Catherine. I-it means a lot." Nick whispered hoarsely as he clung a bit tighter to Catherine. She gave him a final squeeze before pulling back, and taking a handkerchief from her pocket. It wasn't long before she had wiped the tears from his eyes, and another soft smile came when she noticed that Nick didn't seem quite as pale as he had before.

"It's going to be ok, Nick. I know there is a lot that you're scared of, and rightfully so. Hell, we're all scared, but that doesn't mean we can't get past those fears."

"Do you think things will ever change?"

"I guess that depends on _what_ things you're talking about."

"My luck, I suppose." He answered, his voice reduced to a whisper.

"You've definitely had it harder than the rest of us, but I have a feeling things are going to get better. Call it a mother's intuition."

Nick let out a weak chuckle, "_My_ mom says that a lot. Then again, she has a tendency to be right about a lot of things, so I guess it's a valid point."

"Yeah, it is." Catherine responded while helping Nick settle back against the pillow.

"You think I'll ever be able to walk again? I don't think I could keep going if I was stuck in a wheelchair. I don't know what I'd do."

"Hey, don't worry about it now, Nick. I know it has to be hard not to think about it, but it's just too soon to really tell. You'll be starting physical therapy soon, the doctor sounds hopeful, and you're definitely strong. Just- even if you can't walk… Life won't end. But, you want to know something? It doesn't matter. We'll all still love you. You'll still be Nick Stokes; you'll still have your heart. And, you'll always have us."

* * *

"Hey, I didn't expect to find _you_ in a place like this."

"I am _human_, Greg, and every once in a while I do go out for some drinks."

"I… uh, I'm sorry, you're right. I guess I'm just on edge right now. Everyone has been so irascible, I guess I didn't even realize I was being the same way."

Hodges sighed quietly before mustering enough energy to respond, "It's ok. I… it's just hard. God, I'm barely his friend, and pushing him around in that wheelchair broke my heart. I've never seen anyone like that before. I can't imagine how hard this has got to be for all of you."

"It is hard, but Nick is the one who is _really_ going through hell right now. I'd be willing to bet however bad we feel even if it was a hundred times worse… I bet he'd still be hurting more than that. Just so long as we're here for him."

"He, uh, talked about a lot of things. Told me some stuff about you guys; I knew your team was close, but I had no idea."

"No idea of what? What did Nick say?" Greg asked in confusion.

"O, uh, heh, see, the thing is… I'm not sure he really knew that he was actually, uh, talking. He was saying all sorts of things. Mostly about being lost, or something. Then he just started talking about you guys…"

"Hopefully good things."

"Uh, I guess they were good… just scary too."

"Like… what?" He couldn't hide the confusion in his voice, and he felt his stomach turning slightly at what Nick could've said that was scary.

"Sorry, I'm just not sure how much I should say. I mean, I kinda doubt he wanted me to know any of it." He sighed and slowly shook his head, "What the hell. He went off on all of you. Started talking about Warrick and him being best friends, brothers, how Warrick never let him down, and what that meant to him. Then he talked about how he could tell Catherine anything, and told me something he told only her that I wouldn't dream of repeating. Next was Sara. He said a lot about how she was so strong, something he admired about her, and that he wished he had been stronger. Then, well, then he talked about you. Said you were going to be one hell of a CSI, and that he wished he had been able to help you out more, and that you were a good friend."

"Wow…"

"Yeah, then he went off on how he wouldn't have made it a week without you guys being there for him. I have to say that I was a bit more than touched."

"Jesus… he never even told us how much he was really hurting. I guess I just assumed he was doing better about last summer by now; obviously, I was _really_ wrong."

"I think everyone was wrong, but you guys were apparently still there for him, even if you didn't realize it. Just the way he talked about you; he thinks of you as family."

"We are. Well, to some extent this whole lab is a family. Hey, wait a second, you said he talked about all of us, what about Grissom?"

"Uh, well, let's just say Nick isn't too confident on how Grissom views him or his work. I… I can't say anymore though, he probably wouldn't have even wanted me to tell you what I have already, heck he probably doesn't even want me to know."

"It's ok, he won't here about this from me. Oh, and, uh, I guess I don't really _need_ to tell you this, but if and when Nick comes back to work… help keep the gossip down; you know, don't let the techs run their mouths about how bad he's had it over the years. He doesn't need that, ya know?"

"Yeah, I'll put em in their place if I hear any of it. I promise. Damn, it got late fast, I better go, if I don't get some sleep I won't be able to keep my eyes open today." He finished as he checked his watch once more. "Good talking to you, Greg."

"You too Hodges, hope you can get some rest." Greg answered as he waved lazily. _Because I sure as hell won't. Maybe I should talk to Grissom, just try to get him to talk to Nick about how he's feeling. Yeah right, and how would I explain how I knew what Nick was feeling, plus I don't need Nick being pissed at me or Hodges if he doesn't remember what he said…

* * *

_

"And, to what do I owe this surprise Doc?"

"Not now, Gil, I think we should talk about Nick."

"Ok, uh, go ahead." Grissom responded somewhat confused.

"Take it from someone who has gone through not being able to walk, this is going to be a hell of a time for him, probably worse than what I went through…"

"Huh."

"What?"

"Oh, sorry… It's just that I never even thought about it. I mean, I'm just surprised that I didn't even think about your, uh, legs, until now."

"I'd be annoyed if you had; it means you're focusing on the right person. Now, I still have trouble going into detail on what happened to me, but I can promise you that it wasn't easy to cope with. I was angry, and scared, and that was just from a car accident. That was the _only_ really traumatizing event in my life at that point. In other words, Nick _has_ to be feeling even more scared than I was, probably more angry too, and who knows what other emotions he's trying to cope with."

"H-how did you ever get past it?"

"I had people who loved me, Gil. Just like you guys all love Nick. I can't promise you anything, but if you're all there for him… well, they say all wounds heal; it just takes time and love."

"I just hope it isn't too late."

"There's only one way to find that out, Gil, and you know what you have to do."

"Yeah, I guess I do know. I keep finding myself wishing that this had never happened, and then I get furious with myself and tell myself that it did happen, that I can't change the past. I just… I just can't make myself _really_ face him. I never could; even when Amy Hendler pulled a gun on him. All I did was ask if he was ok. Maybe I'm just scared…"

"Scared of what, Gil? Scared that he may not be as strong as you think he is, scared that he's stronger than you think he is, or are you scared of how bad things could be?"

"I don't know. I don't know how bad it is, I don't know how strong he is because of that, and I guess I'm afraid to find out. Afraid that I won't be able to handle it."

"My brother had the same problem. He didn't come to see me for _weeks_ after my accident. And you want to know something, Gil? He told me later that he had never felt more guilty in his life for not coming to see me, _especially _since I didn't stay down, even without my legs. No matter what, there is nothing that will be harder for you than dealing with the fact that you _could have_ helped him by talking to him, but didn't because you were afraid. Ask yourself this, how are you going to live with yourself if he gives up, and you didn't even _try _to help him?"

* * *

"I know I can't just make it all go away right this instant, Nick, but I want to help make it go away over time."

"I'm going to walk again."

Catherine looked at him, and was surprised to see the sudden look of pure determination and resolution on his face. _I bet the last time he wore that expression he was pulling Lindsay through the woods._ "Then I'll be right here, cheering you on."

She smiled as Nick let out a soft chuckle. "I just wish I could do it _right_ now, but I guess I can make myself settle for some other time."

"Hey, I know you're still scared about what's going to happen, but it may make you feel better to know that Grissom recommended you for the position of Key CSI that opened up again. And, no, it wasn't out of pity. He may not say it Nick, but I know he's proud of you, just like the rest of us are. You're great at what you do, and you're a wonderful guy."

"I used to be better."

"I don't think that's possible, Nick. And even if it's true; you're still the greatest person I've ever had the joy of getting to be friends with, I wouldn't trade our friendship for anything. You're like a brother to me, Nick, and everything you've done for me, and Lindsey means more than you'll ever know."

"How can people hurt each other so much?"

"I don't really know, Nick. I'm not sure anyone knows. One of those mysteries in life."

"Yeah, seems like everything in my life is a mystery right now. I don't know what to do, how to do it, sometimes I don't even know why I should try."

"I do know one thing in your life that isn't a mystery."

"And what would that be?"

"You have a lot of friends and family that love you." She smiled and gently grabbed his hand.

"I-" Catherine watched as Nick began to cry. He looked like he was trying to say something, but no words were coming out. She certainly didn't expect for himself to grab hold of the bed railing with his left hand and tears came to her eyes when he winced in pain while pulling himself up into a sitting position. They sat facing each other as Nick tried to catch his breath. Tears began to fall when he finally managed to push himself into her and wrap his arms weakly around her.

"Nick…" was all she managed to say before wrapping her arms around him, and after a few careful movements she had readjusted their position so that Nick was more or less leaning on her for support to keep from falling back down.

* * *

"I thought you were just going out for a couple of drinks. It's been three hours, Warrick."

"I, uh, went to see Nick."

"How is he?"

"He's been better. His skin was still really pale, and he looked worn out, but we did get him to laugh a little bit before he fell asleep."

"Oh."

"What?" Warrick sighed deeply, "Don't tell me that you don't believe me."

* * *

Brass slowly stepped off the plane with his bag. He remembered the last time he had stepped off a plane at this airport. _It isn't too late. It can't be too late._ With a long sigh he began to make his way through the maze of people to the surprisingly short line of people waiting to rent a car.

Twenty minutes later he was standing in front of an old rickety door. The last time he had seen this door was when he had set a gift bag outside of it. _Just do it. You didn't come all this way just to turn around now._ Without realizing it his fist had gone up, and began to gently rap against the door.

As soon as the door swung open he found himself taking in the new appearance his 'daughter' had taken. Her hair was dark red, and her skin seemed unusually pale.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Brass almost winced at her cruel sneer, but, after what had just happened over the past weeks to his friends, it hardly phased him.

"I came here to tell you a story about a friend of mine."

"And why should I care about your friend?"

"You should care because he's lying in a hospital bed right now, wondering if he'll ever walk again. You should care because I'm trying to tell you that there won't always be time to change; there won't always be time to go back and fix things before they get worse. There's still time now though. All I want you to do is listen to what I have to say. If you never want to see me again afterwards then fine, I'll find a way to deal with it, and I won't bother you again."

She sighed, and he thought he had seen her slightly roll her eyes before she stepped back and waved him in. Not long afterwards they were seated in two old chairs, facing each other.

"Lets get this over with."

"His name is Nick Stokes. He's a CSI back in Vegas. One of the best guys I know, but he's had a lot of shit happen to him over the years."

"Yeah, like what?" Ellie shot back incredulously.

"Well, about six years ago he had an emotionally distressed woman pull a gun on him. Then almost four years ago he had a stalker that pushed him out a second story window. The whole time the guy had been living in Nick's attic watching his every move. As if that wasn't enough last year he was buried alive. Then just four weeks ago, he got shot twice while saving a coworker's daughter from being kidnapped. After running a few miles, he gave himself up to save her, so they kidnapped him instead."

"Ok, so this guy's life has been a living hell, how is that supposed to affect me?"

"Are you happy, Ellie? I mean are you _really_ happy living in this run down place? Are you really _happy_ with your life?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. Nick was lucky to make it through all those times; he might not be so lucky this time. You might not get a chance to change, to make yourself happy. I'm trying to tell you that I'm here to give you that chance before it's too late."

* * *

He clung to her for several minutes before he finally began to fall back down in exhaustion. Catherine gently lowered him back down, and offered a smile before running her hand softly through his short hair.

"What made you cut it?"

"I, uh, well, I realized I couldn't just run away from everything. I couldn't stop being Nick Stokes just by changing my appearance. I couldn't keep trying to hide; it was too hard."

"How are you feeling?"

Nick sighed before biting his lip, "Better, I guess. Beyond exhausted, but… I think I needed this a lot more than I realized."

"That's good. Just don't forget that I'll always be here for you, you know that right?"

"Yeah, yeah I know. I-I appreciate it, Catherine."

"Good, now you _have_ to be hungry, so why don't I go pick up some _real_ food-" She stopped when she saw the sullen expression on her friend's face, "Nick, what's wrong?"

"I-I can't even… eat on my own. Th-they've been f-feeding me."

Catherine could see the look of disdain and embarrassment in his eyes and she held back a sigh. "How about this, I get some food, and we'll see if you can manage to eat it on your own. If not, it isn't a big deal, ok?"

"I-I guess I am k-kinda hungry."

"Good, well, I'll be back soon. You know, Lindsay really wants to see you; if you want I can send her on in while I'm getting us all something to eat."

"Oh, uh, sure, I could use all the company I can get."

"Ok, well, I'll be back as soon as I can." She smiled before kissing him on the forehead and giving him a slight hug before she turned to leave. As her hand turned the knob she looked back to see the younger man actually smile as he looked up at the ceiling. With a quiet sigh of relief she made her way into the hallway.

"Mom! Can I see him, _please_?"

"Yeah, you can see him, but, Lindsey, remember that he isn't very strong right now, so don't do anything that would incite him to move, got it?"

"Yes mom. So can I go in?"

"Yeah, he seemed pretty happy that you were here, so go on in, I'm just going to go get some food then I'll be back and we can eat together."

Lindsey simply waved to her mom as she raced to the door. She almost barged into the room, but the stern look from both her mother and grandmother made her slow down.

* * *

"Hey, Nick, how a-are you?"

"I've been better, but this o-ought to be a highlight for today."

Lindsay smiled as brightly as she could, but her eyes couldn't stop watching him. She could see how puffy and red his eyes were, so it was clear he had been crying. The mere thought of the good natured, strong man she knew to be Nick had been crying for a long amount of time was starting to disturb her. _It isn't right; he made it, he's alive. Shouldn't he be happy?_

They sat in silence for several minutes before she decided to start, "Does it hurt?"

Nick took a deep breath, and couldn't help but wince slightly at the movement, "Yeah, yeah it does, but I'll be ok. It'll just take time."

"Y-you have n-nightmares don't you?"

"Yeah. I have a lot of nightmares, but I guess I've had a lot of practice dealing with them. Have you had any nightmares about what happened?"

"I-I dunno if they're really nightmares. I mean they always seem to have a happy ending. And Mom has a way of singing me to sleep. I don't know why, but it always works to fight off any bad dreams."

"Your mother is a special woman. I can't even describe how much she has helped me over the years. I'm not sure I'd even be here in Vegas still."

"Yeah, I guess I can be hard on her a lot, but she _is_ always there when I really need her to be."

"That's because she loves you so much." Nick grinned weakly at the embarrassed look on the little girl's face. He knew Catherine's best traits shone through in her daughter, and he was intrigued at her curiosity and concern.

"W-why did you do it? I, uh, I mean, you put yourself through so much pain, j-just for me? Mom, sh-she told me that you did it because you care about me, and her a lot, but, well, I guess I just kinda needed to hear why from you."

"Well, your mom was right. I care a lot about you, and all of my friends, including your mom. I would've tried to help anyone in that situation, but I'm not sure I'd have made it as far if it hadn't been you."

"Okay…"

Nick sighed before meeting her eyes. "Listen, when I was nine, someone really hurt me. Afterwards, I was so scared and ashamed that I _couldn't_ tell anybody, not even my parents. I've carried that secret with me for my whole life; the only person I've ever told was your Mom." He swallowed hard before he went on, "W-well, like I said, I never told anyone. She got away with what she d-did to me. After a few months my guilt and shame hadn't started to go away, and by the time I was ten years old I realized that she could've hurt any number of other people the same way she hurt me. Even then, I couldn't make myself say anything. Then I got into high school, and after I saw a smaller kid getting beat up on I vowed that I wouldn't sit by and watch anyone get hurt again."

"What did you do about it?"

"I knew I'd never be able to live with myself if I let even more people get hurt because I didn't do something, so I stopped them from doing anything more to him. Instead they beat me up, but that was something I could at least live with. Over the next four years I worked out as much as I could, and I sought out anyone who I had heard was going to get beaten up. I'd trade places with them, let myself take the beating, eventually they would just go straight to me. I didn't mind, it was better that they hurt me, I felt as if I deserved it for letting others to get hurt. Of course, by my senior year I had become a lot of peoples' 'hero'; I was someone that anyone could depend on to keep them from getting hurt. Plus, I had managed to become one of the strongest kids in the school, so they started leaving each other alone, I didn't take many beatings that year, but I never shied away from it. Just like I couldn't just sit back and let them hurt you."

"I-I've seen kids that were getting roughed up before. I wish I h-had had your courage to stand up to them."

"I'm glad you didn't. You don't deserve someone else's pain; I didn't either. I'm not saying you shouldn't have told someone, but I _don't_ want you to put yourself into a position where you could get hurt, that won't help you, or anyone else. Besides, your mom doesn't need to worry about how many bruises you'll have when you get home from school. My parents were constantly worried about me, but I never let them know how bad it really was. They would only see the occasional bruises on my face and arms; I never let them see the bruises on the rest of my body." Nick made she to keep eye contact with her through the last part; she nodded and he could see she was fighting back tears.

"I promise I won't do that, but it _was_ really kind of you to stand up for all those kids."

Nick merely smiled weakly once more before motioning for her to sit next to him on the bed and once more pulling himself painfully up to embrace her, tears flowing swiftly from their eyes.

Catherine nearly dropped the food she had been carrying when she heard Nick telling Lindsay about his years in high school. _So, I guess I know what he meant when he told us he was 'dependable' in high school. Damn, Nick, I wish I had known how hard everything has been for you. Things will get better, they have to.

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Wow, this was longer than I realized, and it took a lot longer than I expected… Well, hope you enjoy, and I love reading your reviews! I'll try to update as soon as I can, and, sorry, but I can't put in a short summary for the next chapter, because I'm not entirely sure what all is going to happen next. Thanks for reading the story, and I hope you take some time to review!

* * *


	13. Fears

**Crimson Puddles

* * *

**

"What do you expect me to do? Just drop everything, and go with you to Vegas? I can't just become someone else."

"I'm not asking you to, Ellie, I just want to know that you're safe. You're a smart girl, you'd be able to get a good job in Vegas, and live on your own. I just want to help you get there. It doesn't even have to be Vegas…"

"I… I just don't know, I can't even imagine what else I'd do."

"Listen, you can call me at this number here, or you can stop by that hotel just down the street, room 420. I'll be there for a few days, then I have to get back to Vegas."

* * *

Catherine had frozen in the doorway, unable to move. She had heard everything Nick had said about his years in high school. _He actually let people hurt him so that someone else wouldn't get hurt. Damn, Nick, how did you make it this far? Sometimes I wonder just how much pain has been inflicted on you. It seems like a never-ending flow of problems…_ She didn't even register that she was staring at the two as they clung desperately to each other.

It was a few moments before Nick looked up, and saw Catherine standing in the doorway watching them with tears in her eyes. His mind began to race, and he wasn't sure he could face her if she had heard everything he'd just said.

"H-hey Catherine." His voice was nearly a whisper, and Lindsey gently let go of Nick and hastily wiped her eyes before turning to look at her mother.

"Hey, uh, I got us all some food…"

"What did you get?" Lindsey forced in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

"I got us all some pizza, I just had to transfer it to this bag so they'd still let me in here."

She carefully opened the bag, and gave the other a slice before she took the remaining seat by Nick's left hand. She watched as he took a deep breath before pulling the piece of pizza up weakly with his left hand. The tension in the room was slightly relieved when he successfully took a bite without help.

"I knew you'd be able to do it." Catherine offered him a warm smile, but stopped when she saw tears forming once more in his eyes.

"Thanks. Th-that means a lot, it really does." He let out a soft chuckle and slowly finished the slice of pizza before he bothered to wipe his eyes. "I've gotta say I'm relieved. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it."

Catherine slowly looked over towards Lindsey, and the conversation she had overheard replayed in her mind.

As soon as she bit her lip Nick knew what she was thinking about. _Good going, Nick, just when you tell her everything you can manage to she has to find out more. I wonder how much she really heard. I guess it shouldn't matter, but, I-I have to know._

"So, uh, how long were you, uh, standing there?"

"Listen, Nick, I heard what I guess was everything you said about being in, uh, high school, but I swear, I didn't mean to overhear anything. Y-you're not _mad_ a-are you?"

Nick looked away, unsure of how to answer her. _She probably thinks I'm unstable…_ "No, I mean, I guess… I-I just don't know. No. It wasn't your fault; it was an accident. I, well, I'm pretty sure that was one of the things I never planned on telling anyone, but you may as well know." His shaky voice slowly faded out, and she didn't hear anything else through his quiet sobs. She almost sighed when she saw his eyes glistening from tears, but stopped herself when she realized how easily a simple sigh could be misinterpreted.

* * *

"Do you _ever_ take time off?"

"Yeah, believe it or not, I do take care of myself, Sara."

"Sorry, Grissom, it's just that this is what, your third or fourth shift in a row? _No one_ can keep it up longer than that. You need to head home, get some sleep."

"I, can't right now. This'll keep me occupied, focused, and I don't want my mind to wander right now."

"You know, Nick is in the hospital regardless of the fact that you don't want him to be. Then you keep telling everyone you're going to go see him, but you never do; instead I find you working yet _another_ case."

"This case is different. I had to take it."

"And why is that, Grissom?" Sara responded forcefully, the tension rising rapidly in their voices.

"Because the knife used to kill the Vic had Nick's blood on it!"

Sara froze in shock at what he had just said. "No, that can't be right, I mean, we've accounted for everyone employed by Donovan, there can't be another guy."

"I hope you're right, but either way, it is related to what happened to Nick. Plus, a bullet we found on the scene was a perfect match to one of the bullets in Nick's SUV."

"Hey, guys, a highway patrol officer just stopped a guy, and he had a lot of blood on him. They're bringing him in, now, and he just happens to match the description of our suspect."

"Thanks, Sofia, we'll get down there as soon as we can."

"I'll see you there."

As soon as Sofia disappeared around the corner Sara turned towards her supervisor, "You want to tell me what's going on with you, and why you can't seem to go visit Nick? We have a nice ride to the station in store for us."

* * *

"Sweetheart, why don't you say goodbye, and have Grandma take you home? I'll be there soon, ok?"

"Ok, Mom. Bye Nick, I'll see you soon!"

"I'll hold you to that, Lindsay, and I'm looking forward to it."

"I guess you want to talk to me alone."

"Yeah, I mean, it was just…"

"Another bombshell?" Nick supplied weakly.

"Yeah, I guess that's one way to describe it."

"I used to pray every night that that the pain, the guilt, the fear, and the _shame_, would just go away. I didn't understand what had happened; I didn't know why my body reacted like it did. I guess I stopped caring about myself; I was just so _sure_ that it had been my fault. I mean we had been so mad at each other… I wasn't sure for quite some time that they hadn't let her do that to me. And, by high school I had lost all concern about my own safety, and I only kept up with school because of my parents."

"Nick…"

"At first I let my grades slip, but that stopped when my parents threatened to send me off to some private school in New York. I cried myself to sleep for weeks after that. It was about then that I stopped praying for things to get better, and I just went on taking whatever beatings that came my way. The first time anyone had really stood up for me was when I met you guys. Having all of you there whenever I needed someone…" He voice broke down into a loud sob, and he could feel the tears running wild down his cheeks.

"I'll always be there for you, Nick, I wish I could've been there for you before…"

"Yeah, look, don't get me wrong, I _love_ my family, and I know they love me. It's just that, I was always alone when it hurt the most. I was alone when she molested me, I was alone when I took those beatings."

"You're not-" Catherine started, but she was cut off by Nick as he started again.

"The first timeI wasn't alone was when Amy Hendler had that gun in my face. Grissom saved my life, but he did even more for me that night. He showed me that some people _are_ there to help. For the first time in my life I had someone actually p-p-protect me. You were there to help me through that damn 'rebirthing' case, all of you were there to help move past Nigel Crane. You were all there to get me out of that grave…"

"Hey… hey, it's ok, Nick, it's gonna be ok, I promise." Catherine whispered as the younger man wept into her shoulder. She slowly, and carefully, began to rub Nick's back to relieve the tensed muscles. "You're going to be able to get through this, and you'll find a way past everything else. Just give it time, it'll be alright, you'll see…"

* * *

"I want to know where you got that knife."

"I'm not going to tell you anything; you're wasting your time."

"I suggest you listen real close to what I'm about to say. That knife had a CSI's blood on it, and I _will_ find out how it ended up in your possesion." Sara stated calmly, yet the threat was clearly evident in her voice and there was no mistaking the glare she was sending the man sitting across from them.

"It's going to take more than some simple threats to make me crack, sweetheart."

"Everyone else is dead. You're all that's left of Donovan's henchmen." Grissom responded calmly, "Oh, and I wouldn't tempt her, she has a knack for getting information out of suspects."

"Fine, you want the truth?" He sneered slightly, "I was there. Donovan had nothing to do with the stabbing. It was _my_ idea. And, just so you know, I'm not the last one 'out there' oh no, I'm not the last. You might want to be on the lookout for someone else. Of course you don't know _who_ to look for."

"Who are we looking for?"

"Nobody you'll ever find."

* * *

"So, how credible is he?"

"Not very, Grissom, I had the knife printed and the fingerprints all came back to some of the dead guys, but there weren't any unidentified prints." Sare answered promptly.

"Ok, well, I'll let you finish up on this, and Sara" Grissom waited until she turned back around to face him, "I want this to stay quiet; we don't need more gossip around the lab dealing with Nick. It's already bad enough."

"Sure thing, I'll keep it to myself and a few techs."

"I'd expect nothing less; keep up the good work."

Sara hardly had time to process what he'd just said. She slowly shook her head as she left the room; if there was one thing she'd learned over the years it was that people were full of surprises.

* * *

It was another half-hour before Catherine had gotten Nick to fall asleep, and she had decided to wait for another half an hour to make sure he was sleeping peacefully. As soon as she left the room she had whipped out her cell phone.

"Hey, Mom, it's me. Sorry I couldn't get home sooner, but, well, Nick needed a friend. I've just got one more phone call to make, and then I'll be on my way home ok?"

"Okay, Catherine, drive carefully."

"Always, and tell Lindsay that I love her."

"Of course, I will. We love you too."

"Yeah, back at ya. I'll see you soon, love you both, bye."

"Bye."

Catherine pushed the button to end the call before she called Grissom.

"Grissom."

"Hey, Gil, it's me, Cath."

"Hey, how are you?"

"I've been better, never quite know what to expect from talking to Nick anymore."

"How is he?"

"He's pretty distraught. He's been reminiscing about pretty much everything that's happened to him, and I let's just say he had a lot more problems than just being molested when he was growing up. And, it seems as if though you did a lot more than just get Amy Hendler to put that gun down. Nick said it was the first time anyone had protected him like that."

"That can't be right, I mean his father was a judge, and his mother was an attorney. They must've protected him from-"

"It doesn't matter what they prevented, Gil. It matters what they couldn't stop, and there is a lot that happened to him that only Lindsay and I know about. He _needs you_ to talk to him; he _needs_ to know that he means something, _anything_, to you."

"I know. He's deserved to hear how I feel for a long time. All of you have."

"Well, he's sleeping right now, but you should definitely come down here to the hospital tomorrow. This situation _can_ get _worse_, Gil. Don't let that happen."

"I'll do my best."

"Good, I wouldn't expect anything less."

"Goodbye Catherine."

"Bye Gil, oh, and I might be a bit late for shift tonight, and I might even need the night off."

"No problem, we'll cover you. See you tonight."

"Yeah, bye."

* * *

Grissom sighed as he closed his cell phone. He quickly started his car and was halfway to his house when he changed his mind, and headed towards the hospital.

_Oh, so ... he is 'your guy', huh?_

_Are you two close?_

_What does Nick Stokes mean to you?_ _How do you feel when you see him in that coffin? Does your soul die every time you push that button? How do you feel, knowing that there's nothing you can do to get him out of that hell? Helpless ... useless ... impotent?_

Those words would never leave them. They constantly played through his mind as he searched desperately for an answer, but as always the voice won, and after a few hours at home it would eventually leave. Of course it always started up again just before shift, or just before he knew he was going to see the younger man. _It's now or never Gil, you have to face your fears. No, no, I'm not afraid of Nick, I'm… I'm afraid of how much someone has hurt him this time. Maybe I should just go home, Catherine told me he's asleep. No, I have to do this. I have to talk to him, I have to find a way to understand my feelings, and if I let him down now then they all win. I won't let them win; Hendler failed to crush him, Crane failed, so will you Gordon, and so will those bastards that put him in that hospital room.

* * *

_

Brass watched the TV idly, silently praying for his daughter to call. _Give her time, it's only been a few hours. She could still call. _He sighed deeply before he realized how likely it was that he would never see his daughter again. _I wish I could've helped you, Ellie, but I guess this is your life._ After a while he decided to try and lose himself in some TV show, and he couldn't help but stop when he saw several large, colorful birds come onto the screen.

He smiled at how much seeing a bird would remind him of Nick. They all knew he was fascinated by them, and after a few moments of just watching the various shots while ignoring the commentary he could tell why Nick was so interested in them. They were free to fly away from danger, to escape from their 'problems' with a simple flap from their wings. _I wonder how long he's wanted to just fly away. How long has he wanted to leave all his problems behind?_

He was interrupted from his thoughts when someone pounded on his door. He paused for a moment, until a voice called out, "Room Service." Brass couldn't help but let out a disappointed sigh. _She's not coming. Well, at least I gave her the opportunity. I can't force her to come back to Vegas with me._

When he swung the door open he was shocked to see only a pair of battered suitcases. His eyes immediately began to search for any sign of Ellie, and then he saw her leaning against his rental car. His heart pumped faster; his mind raced as he tried to think of anything to say. But, somehow, he just knew words would never be enough to express how happy, and thankful, he was at that moment. Without waiting he grabbed the bags, and placed them in his car. He smiled warmly, before returning to his room, and getting his own bag.

Ten minutes later they were at a large counter, waiting to get the papers filled out in order to return the cheap rental car. There was a comfortable silence between them, and both knew the other was too nervous to talk about what she was doing, and they were both afraid to say something that might put a stop to her moving back to Vegas.

* * *

Catherine couldn't help but run to her front door when she finally got home. She hurried as fast as she could to find Lindsay, and immediately pulled her into a hug. "I missed you sweety."

"I missed you too, Mom, is Nick feeling better now?"

"I hope so, Lindsay, I hope so."

"He said he has lots of nightmares. Is that going to change?"

"Maybe, given some time they might go away."

"I hope they do, I hate nightmares."

Catherine smiled, and gave Lindsay another hug before falling back onto the couch. "We all hate em, sweetheart. Is there anything you want to do?"

"I'm kind of tired, maybe we could watch a movie?"

"Sure, whatever you want." Lindsay smiled, and pulled a movie from a shelf, and stuck it in. They had hardly watched half of it before they had fallen asleep.

Lily couldn't help but smile when she saw the two sleeping on the couch. Catherine had her arms wrapped protectively around her daughter, and they both looked more at peace than she had seen them in a while. _I love you both, so much, and I'm going to find a way to thank that man for making sure this possible. At least you're both safe now.

* * *

_

There were too many voices going through his head as he watched the young man sleeping in the small bed. The sheets were pulled up towards his chest, his arms were lying motionless at each side. His face wasn't as pale as it had been, but it didn't have nearly as much color as it should have. It took him another minute to realize that he was sweating profusely. He slowly brought his hand up to wipe his forehead, only to find that he was shaking.

Grissom closed his eyes as tightly as he could, and balled his hands into fists. _Get a grip on yourself. He's the one who had to face hell itself. All you have to do is face the aftermath… and, maybe that's what I'm really afraid of._ He slowly forced his eyes back open, and he made himself focus on Nick. He could see the muscles in the other's face tighten slightly. Grissom couldn't help but wonder at what nightmares Nick had faced over the years, and he was sure they must have been worse then any of his own. Instead of allowing himself to dwell on his, or Nick's possible nightmares he once more concentrated on Nick. He took in the scab on his face from some glass. He knew most of the cuts were essentially healed, and that his bandaged right arm was better as well.

His eyes traveled down to where he could see the slight bulge of the much smaller bandages around his left foot. Suddenly he could hear Gordon's voice once more; asking him what Nick meant to him. Grissom bowed his head, no longer able to even look at the young man lying helplessly in the room just past the door he was standing at. _He means something to me, I just don't know… Why can't I just figure out what that is? _

At first he had justified not knowing the answer by telling himself that he'd been put on the spot. But, after so many months that had failed to satisfy his conscience since he had yet to find an answer. Now he was merely lost, and he couldn't help but wonder why he couldn't answer what should have been a simple question. _Just go in, Gil, I can do this. Take a risk, just do this, you know it's what you have to do._

And, for the first time since he had heard Walter Gordon's voice, Grissom gently opened the door, and entered the room. He clasped his hands together to keep them from shaking, and he seated himself in the chair by Nick's left side. _You're not going to screw me up anymore than you already have, Gordon. I'm not going to let him go because of you; you're not going to win.

* * *

_

"Hey!" Hodges couldn't quite remember the names of the two lab techs that were currently leaning back on a counter talking quite openly about Nick.

"What is it, Hodges?" the first asked, the irritation clearly evident in his voice.

"I don't want to hear another word of gossip about Nick in this building, got it!"

"It's no big deal, we were just saying-"

"You were just talking about how he'd probably break down if he couldn't walk again, and how you'd 'lose it' if it happened to you!"

"Just calm down, man, the were right, you _are_ uptight…"

"Yeah, maybe I am, but that doesn't give you the right to go blabbing to each other about something that doesn't concern you! And, I swear, it's not going to be pleasant if you, or anyone is like this when he is able to return to work."

None of them noticed Sara standing in the far doorway, as Hodges stormed out. "Man, that guy could use getting a life."

"Hey, don't talk about him like that, just because he's defending a friend, rather than disrespecting that friend's wishes. I just hope that the two of you, as well as anyone else who can't help but gossip about what happened, will get a heart before he gets back. Now, I suggest you get back to _work_ before I'm forced to go to Ecklie, and don't think I won't."

* * *

It was the first time that he could really remember actually waking up as refreshed as he was. He winced in pain as the feeling returned in his arm and leg. His side still burned slightly from the nearly healed gash. What truly surprised him was to see Grissom sitting off to his side. Suddenly he was scared as he tried to figure out why the man who had only visited him a few times over the past few weeks was sitting there just waiting for him to wake up. _No, please, say he doesn't have bad news. Of course he has bad news, why else would he be here? It's not like he's come around just to visit me before, and things with him aren't going to just change… I just… I can't take anymore right now…

* * *

_

Grissom could see that he was waking up when he saw the slight smile mixed with something of a grimace. He waited patiently for Nick to fully wake up, but he didn't expect the man to panic when he opened his eyes. Their eyes met briefly before Nick's breathing picked up speed, and his eyes immediately went down. He watched as the younger man nervously gripped the sheets of the bed, and bit down on his lip to try and focus.

"Nick, what's wrong?"

"W-why don't you tell me?"

"What do you mean? Why would anything be wrong?"

"B-because, you're here… I mean, you don't exactly just come here t-to visit me ever…"

"Ah, damn it, Nick, I'm sorry. It's ok though, I don't have any bad news for you. I just didn't want you to be alone."

"Thanks, Grissom, that, uh, means a lot to me." Nick let out a nervous chuckle, but Grissom could easily tell that he was much more relaxed.

"How are you feeling?"

"I've been better. It still hurts, but the medications they have me on are helping keep it down."

"What about emotionally?"

"I feel like I'm on some kind of never-ending roller coaster that just won't stop. One moment I'm feeling like everything is alright with Sara and Warrick, and the next I'm breaking down and telling Catherine everything that's hurt me over the years."

"Nick, I know I haven't really been there, and I've distanced myself from everyone, most of all from you. Now, just know, that it isn't your fault. I was scared, and I let you guys down, but I want that to change."

"That means… a lot. Th-thanks, Grissom."

"You can tell me anything Nick, and I hope you take advantage of what I'm offering."

"I might just look into that. At least my physical therapy is supposed to start soon. They need to see how much I can 'handle' before they can even give an estimate of when I'll get out of here."

"Well, how about this, I'll grab Warrick, and we bring in some pictures tomorrow morning after shift, they ought to help brighten up this room a bit."

"I think I'd like that."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Once again, sorry these are taking me so long, but I had to register for the SAT this week, and I had a lot of tests, so it took me a lot longer to get around to writing this. Thanks for all the input so far, and hope you all keep taking the time to write a review!

* * *


	14. Things Change

**

* * *

Crimson Puddles

* * *

**

"You can do it, bro, just a few more feet."

Nick only grunted in response as he took another shaky step between the metal railings. He took another step, only to have his left leg start to give out from under him. Warrick immediately caught him, and he helped Catherine get him back onto his feet.

"It's only been a few days Nick, just take your time, it'll get easier." Catherine whispered lightly as he took in several deep breaths. It had been four months since he had started his therapy, and he had made it a lot farther than the day before.

"God, need… sit… down…" he panted heavily as Catherine left him leaning against Warrick to retrieve his wheelchair.

"Here you go, Nick, just relax."

"Huh, that's easy for you to say."

"Well, that's more than enough for today. How are you feeling, Nick?" The physical therapist butted in, gently moving Catherine aside as he began to look at his arm.

"It hurts, but I feel better. I like being able to m-move on my own."

"I bet, now, I'm going to take off your shoe so that I can check out your ankle."

Warrick handed his best friend a towel so that he could start wiping some of the sweat off his face and neck. The therapist, Michael Parson, carefully pulled the shoe free, and used his own towel to rest Nick's foot on.

"Well, your muscles are doing much better, and I think you'll be able to go home today. I'll be at the front desk, and we'll have the forms and a wheelchair waiting for you. But I want you to take it easy tonight, and try not to move a whole lot until tomorrow's session, ok?"

"I'll try my best…" Nick sighed, and grabbed Warrick's hand as he tried to get his heavy breathing back into something that would resemble control.

"Also, you shouldn't be all alone for a whole night yet. Something could happen, even something like falling out of your bed could become a severe problem."

"We'll figure something out, I promise." Warrick answered calmly.

"Well, my house is supposed to be finished with some renovations, so I've had the '_wonderful_' experience of staying with Sam."

"Guys, I'll be fine, honest…"

"Nick, bro, I'm _not_ leaving you all by yourself. You can stay at my house; Tina's working so much that she's hardly ever around. Besides, it'll be like the good old days, ya know?"

"Okay, okay, I'll stay at your place. I'm just gonna need some clothes."

"Yeah, don't worry, we'll stop by your place, grab your stuff, and then we can kick back and watch a game."

Nick couldn't help but chuckle, "Leave it to you to come up with a good plan. God it'll be nice not to be in a hospital."

"I'm sure it will be, buddy. Now let's get you out of here."

* * *

Two hours later Warrick was sitting by his bed as he felt the surprisingly firm grip on his hand. He could see how nervous the other man was, and he just hoped Nick would be able to sleep without having any horrifying nightmares.

"Hey, bro, anything I can do to help you sleep a little?"

"I, uh, this is gonna sound stupid…"

"I promise you, Nick, if it helps you sleep it isn't stupid."

"Yeah… right. I, those p-pictures, from the hospital, you have them right?"

"Yeah, right here on the nightstand."

"S-stick em under the pillow… it just, uh, let's me remember that you're all there. I still say I should be on the c-couch."

"It's ok, bro, really. You need to be at least a bit comfortable, and that couch _really_ isn't fun to sleep on. Besides, if you fell I don't think I'd live more than five seconds after Catherine found out. She'd rip me apart like nothin else." Warrick smiled as Nick chuckled.

"No kidding. Just, I'm not _intruding_, or anything, am I? I mean, I, uh, I know that you and Tina have been having some problems, and I don't want to make something _worse_."

"Nick, I won't lie to you, we _are_ having problems, but none of it is _your_ fault. I warned her before we got married that I was going to be here for you whenever you needed help. My _only_ regret was not being there for you as much as I should have been."

"God, sometimes we really have screwed up lives don't we? But, if having friends like you, Catherine, Sara, Greggo, and hell, even Grissom… well, I'm willing to live a screwed up life if it means that I can have friends, family, like you guys. Everything you've done for me… it's meant a lot. I'd say I'd like to repay the favor, but, well, I don't want to have to, because I don't want you to have to go through all kinds of hells."

"I know you'll always have my back, and I'll do my best to have yours covered. Now try to get some sleep. I promise if you're having a nightmare that I'll wake you up, okay?"

"I guess, I could use some real sleep." Warrick grinned, and watched as Nick tried to fall asleep. It broke his heart to his best friend struggle just to sleep, but once he had finally fallen asleep over a half an hour later Warrick had the feeling that everything was going to be ok.

He was rooted to the spot. His eyes taking in every movement Nick made as he slept. Judging by the slight smile on his face he was apparently having a good dream. _Must be nice, buddy, not having a nightmare for once. It's also nice to see that you're really getting some sleep without too many drugs in your system. How do you do it? How can you still be so strong after everything you've gone through? I guess it doesn't matter, does it? As long as you can get better then I'll be ok._

Warrick was so lost in his thoughts as he watched Nick sleep that he failed to hear the door to the bedroom being opened carefully, and it wasn't until after he heard the bag drop rather loudly that he noticed Tina staring at Nick with her mouth open. Before she had the chance to say anything he had pulled her hurriedly pulled her out of the room and shut the door behind him gently.

"What in the hell is Nick doing in _our_ bed, Warrick?"

"He just got released today; it was a last minute thing."

"And, you didn't call, _because_?" She replied, clearly irritated.

"Because, Nick needed a place to stay. He can't stay alone, and Catherine's house is having work done on it. There was no one else available. Why is this even a big deal?"

"Where are _we_ supposed to sleep, Warrick? I mean, haven't you done _enough_ for him? Everytime he calls, anytime he _asks_ for something, you go and do it for him. And it never matters what _we_ were doing; you just run off. If it was even just once in a while, but it's so _often_ Warrick, and when you canceled that dinner we had been planning for _three_ weeks…"

"He was scared to death, Tina!" Warrick shot back starting to feel angry.

"When isn't he going to be scared to death, huh?"

"It doesn't matter Tina. You know, I told you before we got married that I still had to be there for him, no matter what."

"Yeah, but you _didn't_ say that that meant your entire life, Warrick!"

"Yeah, well he needs support, now more than ever, and I _am_ going to give him that support!"

"What about the rest of your team, huh? Aren't you the one who says you're like a family?"

"We are a family, but that doesn't mean that he's just going to be able to turn to one of the others. Catherine has a kid to take care of, and the only person he has really, and I mean _really_ opened up to is me. I _won't_ let him down. I can't, and it just isn't going to happen."

"What, because you feel _guilty_?"

"Hey! That isn't fair, Tina. You have _no_ idea what seeing him on that screen did to me! Yeah, I _wish_ it had been me; he's been through enough already. Maybe I was relieved that it wasn't me too, because I _know_ I wouldn't have made it for more than a few hours in that damn coffin. But, don't you _ever_ say that is why I'm trying to help him. I'm doing this because he's my _brother_, hell, he's more than that. He has _always_ been there for me. He is the _sole_ reason I managed to quit gambling, he's the one who always managed to congratulate me when I got a case or recognition that _he_ deserved."

"It _doesn't matter Warrick_!" she hissed acrimoniously. She sighed in frustration as she bit her lip while waiting for him to respond.

"Maybe it doesn't matter, but what matters is that I am going to help him."

"And what about _me_? I know you're concerned about Nick, and that you want to help him, but our marriage is dying, and I've tried my best to keep it alive. If you want it to die, then just say so. I think it's about time you chose. Your wife, or your friend."

"Don't turn this all onto me, Tina. You're the one who hardly believes me when I tell you I'm with Nick. You're the one who practically cringes when someone mentions Catherine. Besides, it's even _more_ unfair to try and blame this all on Nick. It isn't his fault that he's gone through hell so many times! And, he has a hard enough time just opening up to me. But, if this is what our marriage has turned into, I don't think it's really worth hanging onto, now is it? I'm sorry Tina, but I can't turn my back on Nick. I won't do it."

"Well then, enjoy the couch. I'll be back later to get my stuff."

"Tina, how did it come down to this?" Warrick questioned, but he could feel the anger disappear as they both took in what was about to happen.

"I'm not sure I know, Warrick. Maybe it wasn't 'meant to be' or, well, maybe this whole thing was a mistake. Our jobs take so much away from us, and I _was_ unfair about your friend. We just, _it_ just got away from us. I'm not even sure we were ever in love."

"I'm sorry, Tina. I didn't want things to turn out this way, but life just keeps throwing curve balls at us all left and right."

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have tried to shift the blame on Nick. Things are just so stressful, but look who I'm talking to; you know all about stress. Goodbye, Warrick." She smiled softly before turning and gently heading out the door after grabbing her purse and keys from the table by the front door. "I can, uh, get the rest some other time."

Warrick offered a weak smile, "Goodbye Tina." He kissed her cheek softly. They both froze when they heard a muffled cry from their bedroom. His head immediately turned to look towards the closed door, and he felt Tina place her hand on his shoulder.

"Go on; he needs you more than I do. Just… make sure he gets better." Warrick merely nodded in response before heading towards the bedroom. Just as he reached the door he heard the front door close quietly.

* * *

"Hey, sweetie, how was your day?"

"It was ok, I guess. Do people _always_ talk about other people behind their backs, or do they grow out of it?"

"Well, some do, but, unfortunately, some don't. Why, are there kids talking about you behind your back?" Catherine asked with concern.

"Well, kinda, there were some older kids talking. They said no one would do that if they didn't have something in it for them… that he wasn't really a hero."

"Well, they're wrong. There aren't many people like Nick, but they _do_ exist. Nick didn't have anything invested in this; he just wanted you to be safe."

"Yeah, I know, but I hated hearing them go on about him like that."

"Well, Lindsay, there are always going to be those immature people that talk about others behind their back. We even have people that work in the lab who do it. The important thing is for you to ignore them, because you know what the truth is."

"Yeah, I guess. Hey, Mom?"

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"I was, uh, wondering, well, I talked to my teacher, and she said that we could do a special performance of our play, and then you could see it!"

"Wow, that would be really nice."

"Maybe Nick could see it too? Do you think we could dedicate the performance to him?" She shot off, unable to contain her excitement at the possibility.

"Whoa, calm down, Lindsay. That is a good idea, but we'd have to talk to Nick about it first."

"Why?"

"Well, Nick is a pretty private person. I just think a surprise like that might, well, he isn't in a very, uh, emotionally stable condition, Linds."

"Yeah, but I think it'd make him happy. I mean, he had such a hard life growing up, and I think it'd be the perfect way for me to thank him. I don't think people do enough nice things for him. He needs to feel special, like he's really important, because he is."

* * *

_All he could do was watch as they slowly climbed out of the hole. His hands beat against the glass above him as he pleaded for them to come back, but they were gone. The voices and noise that had previously engulfed the night air was gone. Tears fell as he called out for anyone to come back. He kept screaming how sorry he was, and cried out desperately for them to come back. His hands hit against the glass weakly, and suddenly he could feel more ants seeping into the glass. Suddenly the feel of cold metal pushed up against his chin, and he could see the barrel of his gun stuck tight against his skin. Tears fell freely and he cried out I'm sorry one final time before he felt the first bite on his leg. It was too much, he felt his finger tighten on the trigger and let out a final scream before everything disappeared. Then he was surrounded by trees, still in his glass coffin he stared out as the flames drew closer.

* * *

_

Warrick stood, shell-shocked when he saw Nick's hand subconsciously curl up as if he was holding a gun. His jaw dropped as he watched the hand move up to rest on his chest with the make believe gun to where it would've been pressed tightly against his chin. He shook his head, trying to get himself to move, but Nick's quiet pleas for someone to come back, and that he was sorry kept him rooted where he was. It wasn't until he watched the finger go down on what would have undoubtedly been the trigger and Nick let out a final scream did he find himself able to move.

His hand gently took hold of Nick's shoulder, and he shook it slightly, hoping Nick was still ok. "Come on, bro, just wake up, you're ok, it isn't real. Nick, wake up, come on, it's just a nightmare, you can wake up." He stood back for a moment, wondering what he could do to wake Nick up. He shook him a bit harder, yet still gently, but he wouldn't wake up.

"Ok, Warrick, just stop and think. He isn't unconscious, he's breathing, but he's trapped in a damn nightmare. Just think… maybe water, but that could scare him, shaking him doesn't work…" He bit his lip in frustration, before he decided to get an icepack from his freezer. _At least I can help him to stop sweating. You gotta wake up, though man…_

His hand hastily rummaged through his freezer as he searched for an icepack, knocking various items off their shelves. Just as he had grabbed the desired item he heard the most bloodcurdling scream he had ever heard. _Oh God, Nick… please say that you're ok…

* * *

_

Catherine smiled as she watched Lindsey standing in front of a mirror, holding her play in front of her so that she could have the lines memorized by heart. A loud knock at her door brought her out of her trance, and she reluctantly moved to go see who it was.

"Uh, hello, Catherine."

"Paul. I, uh, I-"

"Oh, I'm sorry, this is probably a bad time, huh?"

"Ah… nah, I just wasn't expecting anyone. Come on in. Can I get you anything?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Ok, then, do you mind me asking why you're here?"

"Well, I've been here a few weeks now, and I was just, uh, wondering if there was anything I could do to help out with Nick, or with whatever."

"Wow, I don't know. I don't think so; he's staying at Warrick's until my house gets finished."

"Yeah, that's how I found you here. This is a nice place."

Catherine sighed, "Yeah, but it comes at a high price. Just be glad _your_ father isn't Sam Braun."

"I will be, I guess. Anyway, I guess, well, uh, I just wanted, I don't know, exactly."

"Listen, I'm sure trying to work with anyone on our shift recently has to be like hell, but then again, you've caught us at what is probably our worst. Just trust me when I say this; it'll get better. Stick with it, and once things start to get back to normal you'll find it easier to fit in."

* * *

"Well, that makes things official, Nick's case is completely closed." Sara sighed in exhaustion as she set the filled out reports on Grissom's desk.

"Even so, make sure that it isn't destroyed, ok?"

"Sure, any particular reason why?"

"I don't know, it just doesn't feel like it's over."

"It isn't over. Our part as criminalists is over, but what they did is going to have some major repercussions. I just hope Nick can handle it."

* * *

"Damn, Nick, come on, just breathe, man. Just breathe, take slow deep breaths…" Warrick tried to sound gentle and calming, but he could hear the fear in his own voice as he watched Nick struggle to breathe as he sobbed, tears running down his face as he whimpered several times. He was completely drenched with sweat, and his entire body was visibly trembling as Warrick held him with his arms wrapped around him. Deciding words couldn't help he carefully placed the icepack over his friend's forehead; praying it would help Nick calm down.

It was another few minutes before Nick had stopped sweating, but his breathing was still erratic, and his arms and legs quivered rapidly. Warrick looked around, and grabbed the paper bag that had held Nick's medications. He helped Nick hold it up, and after several long minutes his breathing had once more slowed down, just slightly faster than normal.

"You ok, Nick?"

"I should be fine…" his frail voice answered between unsteady gasps for air.

"Just take your time, bro, relax…"

"I'm sorry, it's just that… that wasn't supposed to happen." He took in a deep breath before allowing himself to continue, "You're supposed to wake up before it h-h-happens. But I didn't. I was in that damn grave, and e-everyone left. I waited, I tried to say that I was sorry, but no one came back. Th-then the ants were back, and it hurt so much. I p-pulled the trigger, and I didn't wake up. Then there was… fire… just, too…"

Warrick immediately moved and pulled Nick into a hug while managing to seat himself on the bed with his back against the wall. He gently patted Nick's back as he broke into sobs.

"We don't have to talk about anything you don't want to, buddy, got it?"

"Th-there aren't words, there just aren't words. It was… beyond h-horrible…"

"It's ok, it's gonna be ok. You just had a nightmare, everything is gonna be ok." He whispered repeatedly, wondering if it was more to reassure his best friend, or himself. _Just get better, Nick. Everything will turn out fine, it has to._

"I wish none of this ever happened, Warrick."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. But bad things happen; we just have to find a way through it. Besides, there is good news."

"Yeah right, and what would that be?"

Warrick sighed at the sarcastic, yet hopeful tone of his buddy's voice. "You've got us to help you through this. Just, promise me that if you _ever_ need help that you'll come to me, or to Catherine… just that you won't try to bear all this alone."

"I… I couldn't if tried… and thanks, man. It means a lot, but what about Tina?"

"Don't worry about that, buddy. Just know that I'm available whenever, wherever, for _whatever_, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, I… I feel so damn pathetic."

"Well, you're not. No one, and I mean _no one_, can handle everything on their own. That's why we have friends, family, and the last time I checked we're both."

"We are both. That won't change, will it?" He asked, trying not to sound nervous.

"Nick, a lot of things change, but the only way our friendship is gonna change is by getting better, by us getting closer. We'll always be brothers."

"I'm holding you to that, ya know…" Nick chuckled weakly.

Warrick smiled, "Good, cause I'm holding you to it too."

"Warrick?"

"Yeah, man, what is it?"

"Thanks. I mean, I wouldn't have made it anywhere without you, and Catherine too… It's just, well, I've never had a friend like you before, it means a lot that you're here when I need you."

"There's no where else I'd want to be, than here to help you through this, and I mean that."

Nick's slight smile, and calmer demeanor was enough evidence to show Warrick that his words had hit home. _You're gonna be ok. And I will always be here for you…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Thanks for all the reviews and comments so far. I only have one more chapter planned, and possibly a sequel later this year after doing some other stories. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to reading your thoughts on this chapter.

* * *


	15. A Dedication

**

* * *

Crimson Puddles

* * *

**

Nick wasn't sure how much later it was that he woke up. All he remembered was crying hard into Warrick's shoulder, and then everything seemed to fade out. He felt a hand on his shoulder tighten, and he slowly allowed himself to open his eyes. It took a few moments to register that Warrick was watching him, and that he had yet to let go of his best friend.

"Oh, man, how long was I out for?"

"Seven and a half hours… without any nightmares I hope."

"Nah, just pitch black or might as well have been for all I remember, I'm thinking I might've dreamt of one of our lab softball games where we kicked dayshift's butts."

"Nice, those games are always great memories. Just seeing Ecklie lose it makes the whole thing worth while."

"Yeah… oh, man, I'm sorry, you've gotta be, uh, uncomfortable… you did manage to sleep for some of that, uh, seven hours, right?" He immediately tried to sit up, only to collapse onto his back.

"Nick, I'm fine. Besides I fell asleep easily, and knowing that you went that long without a nightmare makes it worth it."

"You're the best friend I could've asked for. Not many guys would, uh, go to such lengths to help someone else."

"Yeah, well, you're my brother." He seemed as if though we was going to add something when they heard his phone begin to vibrate quietly. "Just a sec, Nick, I'm just gonna go see who it is."

"No problem, I've already taken plenty away from your life…"

"Nah, not all, Nick." He turned and flipped his phone open, "Brown."

"It's about time you picked up. I've been trying for the last hour."

"Hello to you too, Catherine."

"Huh, oh yeah, uh, hey. How is Nick?"

"Well, you'd be better off talking to him about that, but before I give the phone to him, can I ask why you sound so excited?"

"Well, if Nick is up for it, we're having a big barbecue at my house. Just the gang, and well, obviously Lindsay."

"Sounds good."

"Oh, and Tina is welcome to come too if she isn't working."

"Actually we aren't, uh together anymore."

"Oh, I'm sorry. What happened?"

"We got in a, uh, argument, about some stuff. We just kinda fell apart." Warrick said, purposely being vague, and hoping that Nick wouldn't figure out that the fight had started because of his predicament. _The last thing Nick needs to be feeling is guilt over something that wasn't his fault._

"You gonna be ok?"

"Yeah, definitely, besides I think things are looking up. Well, I'm going to let you talk to Nick now, don't get yourself into any trouble."

"Oh yeah, I think you're the one who needs that warning."

"Uh, huh, _right_… well, here's Nick…" He finished, handing his cell phone to Nick who was now sitting up with his back to Warrick. "It's, uh, Catherine." Nick nervously took the phone. He was torn between asking Warrick to leave, and wanting him to stay close. Seeing the anxious, confused expression on his best friend's face he had a feeling he knew what it was about. He quickly went over to the dresser across the room and smiled at Nick as he pulled out a pair of earplugs and promptly inserted them.

Nick chuckled quietly, and finally brought the cell phone up to his ear. "Hey Cath."

"Hey, I was wondering where you were."

"Oh, uh, Warrick was putting in, uh, earplugs." He laughed weakly, "I guess he figured that way I could have some, uh, privacy… and not be alone. I know it's stupid-"

"No, no Nick, it's not stupid at all."

"Thanks… what's up?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, how are you doing?"

Nick sighed deeply before answering, "Well, started off bad, just a nightmare that scared me half to death. But then I apparently slept for almost eight hours without any, so I guess that means I'm doing better."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that, Nick. What about physically, are you really worn out, or tired?"

"Nah, not really. I wouldn't mind getting outside for a bit-"

"Great! Uh, I mean, that's good, cause I was hoping you two would come over to my place for a little cookout. Just the team, and Lindsay."

"I'd love that, Catherine. It's been too long since we've all had the chance to just…"

"Hang out." Catherine finished for him.

"Yeah. I miss that. Catherine?"

"What is it Nick?"

"I- the team… d-did it fall apart because of me?"

"Honestly, no. We started to fall apart as soon as Ecklie split us up. It wasn't you Nick. What Walter Gordon did to you didn't help, and neither did this Donovan guy. But, no, it wasn't your fault. Sometimes things like that just happen. Of course it doesn't have to be permanent you know. We're already starting to get back together, and you _are_ a big reason for that. Sometimes it takes a terrible thing to bring people closer, of course we were to blind to see that last year. Now that you've opened our eyes though, we can finally see where we're going, and I'm hoping your eyes lead you and Warrick over to my place in about half an hour."

"Alright, we'll be there. Oh, and, Catherine?"

"Yeah Nick?"

"Thanks. You guys have no idea how much you've helped me through."

"You're right, we don't know, but we're always gonna be here for you. Besides, I should be thanking you; you're the one who managed to hang on for us. I'm proud of you Nick, you're a good man, and remember that."

"Ok, well, I think Warrick is going to lose it if he doesn't get those plugs out soon. We'll see you in half an hour."

"Bye Nick, and don't whip him too badly if you guys decide to play a game."

"Yeah, I'll try not to, but it could be hard, ya know?"

"Yeah, well, I'll see you soon, bye Nick!"

"Bye Cath." Nick laughed softly as he closed the cell phone and walked up behind Warrick and quickly pulled the earplugs free. "All done, oh, and we're heading over to her place for a cookout in thirty minutes, got it?"

"Yeah man, got it."

"We've got twenty minutes, you want to tell me about Tina?"

"There's nothing to tell, Nick."

"Come on Warrick. I know you don't want me to know something, but how many times in the past few weeks have I laid out my heart and mind to you? I've told you so many of my worst nightmares, my greatest fears… and now when something is wrong you won't let me help _you_. That hurts, man."

"You're right Nick, but there isn't much to tell. We fell apart. Working odd shifts, spending so little time together… it just didn't work."

"I'm sorry Warrick."

"For what?"

"All those times I asked you to be there for me. All those-"

"Nick, _stop_. I made the choice, not you. If I had to do it all over again I would've been there even _more_ for you. We fell apart; it was going to happen whether you were around or not. I should actually _thank_ you for helping put an end to it before things got any worse. It wasn't your fault, and the only reason I didn't want to tell you is because I was afraid you'd blame yourself."

"Ok, point taken, but even so I wish you would've told me. Are you gonna be ok?"

"Yeah, man, I'll be just fine, not like I didn't see it coming. Besides I'm not sure I really wanted it to keep going anyway."

"So you wanna whoop me at a game?"

"Man, Nick, I bet you could beat me without even using your hands."

Twenty minutes later Warrick was grabbing his keys, and was smiling. As worn out as Nick was he had still won, and, as usual he was out quite a bit of money. As he reentered the living room with his keys in hand he could see Nick was having some trouble getting up. Without hesitating he hurried over, and helped him stand the rest of the way.

"Thanks man. I guess I was sitting a bit too long."

"Hey, you know you've got to take it easy, Nick. Besides, you _do_ have that physical therapy session later today with the doctor. I've got the chair already in the car, and I'll grab your crutches before we go, ok?"

"Yeah, well, I think we've got some people who are gonna be wondering where we are if we don't get moving."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Warrick was helping Nick out of his SUV. Nick had barely gotten his feet on the ground when Greg rushed over to help him.

"About time you guys showed up! You've left me with Grissom who has been silent the whole time, Sara who is really mad at Grissom, and Greg, who has been bouncing off the walls! The only other sane person here is Lindsay, and she's off talking to her grandma on the phone."

"So the secret is out, Catherine, you need us here, cause we're normal?" Warrick called back.

"Oh no, you two are _far_ from it… but at least for Nick that's in a _good_ way. At least a person can have a real conversation with either of you."

"I resent that Catherine! I can have a meaningful conversation with anyone!" Greg responded quickly, purposely taking on an unusually whiny tone.

"Yeah, with someone who understands the junk you call music."

"Hey, just cause it doesn't 'twang' doesn't mean it's not music, Nick."

"Well, I've gotta agree with him there Greg, you are into some pretty obnoxious stuff…" Warrick added playfully.

Nick was surprised at how alive he suddenly felt. It had been too long since they'd laughed and had just let themselves have fun.

"You can add me to that list; Greg you are too weird for your own good."

"Jim? What are you doing here, I thought you were in California still."

"Nope, Cath, she came back, we just got her checked into a center, and things are looking up. I heard about your little get together so I figured I'd show up. After all, I've _earned_ the invitation, and I mused up enough courage to even bring a guest."

"Ah, that would be Annie wouldn't it?" Catherine exaggerated a sigh, "Yeah, yeah, come on, although I can't promise that there'll be enough food for everyone, so you better hurry. And no _running_ through my house Greg!" She called out after turning around when Greg had just started to bolt for the door.

"But how can am I supposed to eat anything before these two beat me there and eat everything!"

"Come on Greg, give us a break, it's hard enough sparing food for the others, but when we add you to the mix, well…" Warrick commented with the most serious tone that he could muster.

"Then why isn't it hard for you to save food for Lindsay? She eats just as much as we do sometimes!"

"Yeah, well we like her more, so it's easier."

"Ah, come on, Warrick, give the guy a break."

"Thanks, _Nick_." Greg answered shooting a glare at Warrick before laughing as they made their way inside to grab some food.

* * *

"You need to tell him, Grissom."

"Sara, it's over."

"Not for _him_, he deserves to have someone tell him, and he shouldn't have to find out sitting in front of a computer screen all _alone._ Like the last thing you tried to hide from him."

"Hey you two! Stop moping around, and get on in here before the food is gone, and you'd better hurry cause there are four people in here eating like there's no tomorrow, and three of us trying to get to the scraps already." Catherine called from the doorway. Sara smiled weakly at Grissom, before heading in through the back door.

He sat there on the bench in silence for a few moments contemplating what Sara had said as he heard shouts and laughing erupt from the home. He leaned back and stared up at the sky wondering what he was supposed to do. It wasn't until he heard Nick clear his throat that he realized he was no longer alone.

"Hey, Nick."

"Hey. You wanna tell me why you're out here all alone, when the party is going on inside?"

"Maybe I prefer the fresh air."

"We're only eating inside, Griss. We'll be coming out soon enough to have some fun. Now spill, why are you out here?"

"I don't belong in there, Nick."

"Bull. You belong in there as much as any of us. You're part of our team, and you mean a lot to us. You've saved my life, what three times now? Well, you know what I think? I think you're about to plunge headfirst into depression. Let me tell you, it isn't worth it; I've been there too many times. I know what it's like to be all alone, and I know that _nobody_ should go through life alone. It's a choice, man, and all you have to do is go inside with me, have some food. It won't solve everything, but it _is _a step in the right direction."

"How do you do it, Nick? How can you just get back up?"

"I _don't_ 'just get back up' you know. I fall down; try to get up on my own, sometimes I can, but when I can't I just give up some of my pride and let my friends and family finish pulling me back up. I guess I just love the horse, and no matter how much falling off that horse hurts, I know that I'll never be able to live with myself if I don't get back in the saddle. I may not be good at my job, I may not be the person I should be, but I _am_ here if you ever want help getting back on your saddle. I _am_ here if you want my help to start feeling _alive_ again."

"Nick, I'm sorry for all those times I put you down. You _are_ a good CSI, and you're a good man."

"It's ok Griss-"

"No, Nick, it's not ok. It's _not_ ok, because I haven't shown you the respect you deserve. Which is why I need to talk to you about, uh, the Donovan case."

"Wh-why do you need to talk about that? I thought they all died in that shootout…"

"One didn't. He's already been arrested, but he said there was another man out there. I don't you to be afraid though, because all the evidence suggests that the man he was talking about is dead. I-I've been meaning to tell you; it's just that you really seem happy for the first time since last May… I didn't want to ruin that."

"You didn't. It might be a while before I stop looking over my shoulder, but it'll happen. If it's any consolation I'm glad you told me. Now why don't we go inside and have some _fun_ for once. Besides, you wouldn't want to miss seeing Greg and Warrick make fools of themselves would you?" Nick grinned as he stood up and began to head for the door.

"Guess not, and thanks Nick."

"It was nothing." Nick smiled as he opened the door and went inside once more. Grissom slowly stood, and stopped at the door looking through the window as his team burst into laughter once more. Then he saw Nick waving him inside, and taking a deep breath he opened the door and couldn't help but let out a chuckle when he saw Greg performing an eating contest with Warrick and Lindsay.

* * *

Nick sighed a bit in irritation when he heard someone knock on the door. He quickly grabbed his crutches since his leg was soar from the previous day's therapy session. Warrick had gone out to run some errands, and he figured it would be someone from the team dropping by to check on him.

When he opened the door he was shocked to see a man in an expensive suit holding a garment bag. "Excuse me, are you Nick Stokes?"

"Uh, yeah… why?"

"I was told to instruct a Mr. Nick Stokes to wear this suit, and to make sure you were in the back of my limousine in half an hour."

"Uh… can I ask who, uh, sent you?"

"I'm sorry sir, but he said he wanted it to be a surprise."

"Um, I guess I'll… go change…"

Nick had barely closed the door when his cell phone rang.

"Stokes."

"Hey Nick… did you have a limo driver drop clothes off at your house and tell you to change?"

"Yeah, Catherine, just now."

"Sorry, about this, Nick, I think Sam wants to, uh, repay you. Don't worry, if we have dinner we'll still be able to make Lindsay's play tonight, but if you're uncomfortable, or tired, then by all means just tell the guy you can't make it. I'm really sorry, I wish he had at least talked to me about this, but I was just as surprised as you were."

"It's ok, Catherine, I'll go. Guess I'll be seeing you soon."

* * *

Thirty minutes later Nick was sitting in the back of the limo idly twiddling his thumbs. He watched various buildings pass by his window, and it wasn't until the vehicle stopped that he realized they were outside Catherine's home. He felt himself start to relax when he saw Catherine carefully lock the door behind her and head towards the sleek black limo wearing a long green evening gown.

She smiled warmly at him, and carefully climbed over his crutches to sit next to him.

"You look nice."

"Just _nice_, Nick?"

"Ok, ok, you look better than nice."

"Good, I have to admit I have missed actually bothering about my appearance. It's been a while since I've worn my hair down, taken the time to- do stuff with makeup that you couldn't care less about…"

Nick chuckled lightly, "Yeah, not my thing. But, thanks for lightening the mood. I've gotta say I'm nervous as hell."

"Don't be, Sam may be a millionaire, but he _is_ a human being. Besides, I'll be there, and I'm sure my mom will be too. Who am _I _kidding, I'm nervous too, and they're _my_ parents."

"Ah, that can make it worse. My parents make me more nervous at times than anyone else could ever hope to."

They laughed quietly for another few minutes before they allowed themselves to fall into a comfortable silence, merely looking out the windows of the limousine. When they finally stopped Catherine carefully exited the vehicle making sure her shoes and heels didn't catch on anything. She then pulled Nick's crutches free just as the chauffeur got around to help her get Nick out.

"Sir, if you wish, I can hold these for you inside, in case you need them later, or will you need them to go inside?" He asked calmly with a slight German accent.

"Uh, sure." Nick responded as he gingerly put more wait on his foot. Sensing his unease Catherine immediately wrapped her bare arm around his arm and felt the smooth fabric of his suit coat brush against her. She gave him a smile, and he allowed himself to put a little of his weight on her. They had just made there way inside when a small, balding man stepped in front of them.

"I'm sorry sir, but we require a tie for all patrons."

"I, uh, I can't…"

"Look, my friend is eating here, and he is _not_ going to be forced to wear a tie."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I cannot allow one person to get away with this, and expect to be able to enforce such a rule with our other clients, all of whom are required to wear a jacket a tie."

"Maybe when you're buried alive and can't breathe, or have two bullets in you, you'll understand. _Maybe,_ just _maybe_ afterwards when you suffer from serious claustrophobia you'd understand why I _can't_ wear a tie without having a panic attack." Catherine was shocked by what Nick had just said. She could see that he was getting irritated, and she hadn't missed the brief fear in his eyes at the prospect of having to wearing something that made him feel as if he was choking.

"Listen, we're here to see _Sam Braun_, so why don't you just let us through?" Catherine offered, hoping he might accept a more polite, gentler approach.

"I'm sorry, but-"

"But, there won't be any problems, will there?" All eyes landed on Sam Braun as he stepped out into the lobby. "I'd hate to take this to the owner of this fine establishment. After all, he _is_ a good friend of mine, and I know he'd be furious if he heard my daughter's friend had been poorly treated."

"I'm sorry sir, but this… _gentleman_, refuses to wear a tie."

"He can enter this restaurant without one, if you don't believe me call Charles and ask him."

The scrawny man stuck out his chin and returned to his desk. Nick and Catherine stood in an awkward silence, neither sure of what to do. A few minutes late the man returned and waved them in, not bothering to hide his disdain as Sam removed his own tie, and placed it in his pocket. Soon they were all seated and waiting for their food to arrive. Nick couldn't help but let his social side take over as the four talked over their multiple course meal.

"Alright, now, Catherine, we do have a bit of an announcement to make. Over these past few weeks I've seriously reevaluated some parts of my life. And we were hoping that you would approve of us getting married. Now, I love your mother, and I've always wanted to do right by your family."

"Wow, uh, before I say yes I need to know that you aren't going to hurt her."

"I won't Mugs, I promise."

"Then ok. You have my _'blessing'_." She chuckled slightly as they all raised their glasses Nick following her lead. "Oh, damn, we've got to get going, Lindsay's play starts in half an hour. We aren't even going to have time to change…"

"It's alright, we'll just take the limo over to the school now."

* * *

It wasn't long before they were seated in a large, crowded auditorium waiting for the red curtains to be pulled back. Warrick had been unable to form a sentence for a few moments when he first saw Catherine, and Greg had let out a slight whistle that earned him a playful slap as she took her seat next to Nick. Sara was sitting, quietly waiting for everything to start with Grissom on her other side. Nick gave Warrick a playful punch as he sat between him and Catherine.

"You got my note, right?"

"Yeah, man, I just hope you had a better dinner than I did."

"Oh, we made sure it was the best they had." Everyone caught the slight glare Grissom shot at Sam Braun as he sat next to Lily on Catherine's other side.

"Are Jim and Annie here?"

"We're right behind you, Catherine."

Catherine jumped, clearly startled. "Well, in my defense, it _is _dark in here…" she added defensively.

"Yeah, yeah, you're just embarrassed cause you didn't see us."

"Shh, it's about to start." Nick butted in, as he nodded towards the stage just as the lights dimmed and the curtains pulled back revealing an ornate background full of props alluding to an old European street. Their attention focused on Lindsay as she came out onto the stage wearing a long beige trench coat, with a wide brimmed hat. Her long blonde hair was straight, but slightly began to curl towards the bottom like so many portrayals of women from that time period. They all watched as the story unfolded.

The only time Catherine or Nick took their eyes off the stage was the first time Lindsay used the term 'Crimson Puddles' as she and the lead actor began to follow a trail of what was meant to be blood. He smiled slightly and squeezed her hand a bit before going back to watching the play.

Two hours later the were standing and clapping vigorously as Lindsay and the rest of the cast bowed for the audience. The cheers continued as the director of the play came out onto the stage with her own microphone. After several moments the only two left on the stage were Lindsay and the director.

"I want to thank everyone here tonight for supporting our talented cast, and I'd like to extend a thank you to the kids who helped with the lighting, props, and for the costumes. Now, Lindsay Willows has agreed to share another special thank you."

The audience went silent as Lindsay stepped forward. "First, I'd like to thank our Director, Miss Evelyn Richards for making this possible, and for giving me permission to dedicate this play to the one person who made it possible for me to be here. Which is why we've dedicated this play to my uncle, Nick Stokes, who is the greatest guy I've had the joy to know."

To say Nick was shocked would be an understatement. His mouth was hanging open, and a few tears fell, as Catherine gave him a hug, and Warrick patted him on the back.

"Well, there you have it Ladies and Gentlemen. I can tell you that these kids practiced twice as hard as ever to perfect this performance. And, the cast wants to offer their own round of applause to a real hero." She started clapping as the cast came back onto the stage and started clapping as well. Lindsay beat her hands together wildly, smiling at Nick from the stage. It wasn't long before everyone else had also stood and were clapping as well. Catherine had been the first, along with Warrick to stand up and offer their own applause. Greg and the others quickly joined in, leaving Nick speechless.

Nick had never had anyone do something like this for him; no one had ever made him feel like he was this special. The tears were falling more easily now, and for the first time in months they weren't falling because he was sad. Ignoring the slight pain echoing in his leg he stood and hugged Catherine. He felt Warrick holding his shoulder, gently, but firmly, and he could hear Greg's voice whooping for him above the clapping. Even Sara and Grissom were clapping and smiling at him. Warrick wrapped his arms around both him and Catherine. Nick couldn't help but smile, and it was then that he knew they could get through anything life threw their way.

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**The End**

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Notes: Well, this is the end, but it is possible that I will write a sequel sometime in the more distant future. Hope you enjoyed it, even though there wasn't much action past the first few chapters. I hope some of you take the time to review, and let me know your thoughts on the story. Also, I'd like to thank everyone who has already reviewed this story, as well as my other stories. I've read _every_ review, and I appreciate all of them a lot! I look forward to reading your comments.

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